Shards of her soul
by Magdelope
Summary: Genres: hurt/comfort/romance/angst. Femslash Isabela/OC, FemHawke/Merrill. Probably contains spoilers. Set during DA2, act 2 and 3. Isabela has been hiding something and needs the help of her friends to right an old wrong which will shape her future. Will bring up a lot of Isabela's past.
1. Chapter 1 - The Liar and The Secret

**Disclaimer: Bioware owns all the characters, except Aisha. I'm just the puppet master.**

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**Chapter 1 – The Liar and The Secret**

The gang was sitting at their usual place in the Hanged Man. Even Aveline had joined them, even though she usually never enjoyed the crudity of the Lowtown tavern. Hawke was engaged in deep debates concerning mages' rights with Anders and Fenris, Aveline was trying to ignore how uncomfortable the surroundings was making her and Isabela was talking with Varric.

The pirate, sporting a mischievous grin, leaned forward towards the dwarf that was sitting on the opposite side of the table.

"Come to me, and I'll take you to places you've never been…" Her words were seductive but the laughter so imminent in her voice, showed otherwise.

Varric chuckled.

"Isabela," he said and protectively put a hand on top of his beloved crossbow, "are you talking to Bianca?"

"I think she deserves to feel a woman's touch on her trigger, don't you?"

Varric laughed out loud causing Merrill to jump at the sound.

"Oh stop it you," he said between laughs, "you are confusing her… and me!"

"Why?" Merrill interjected suddenly, "why is she confusing you? What am I missing?" The elf looked at her friends with curiosity in her eyes while Varric wiped away a tear. Isabela smiled affectionately at her innocent friend but couldn't help the next comment that slipped between her lips.

"I'm sure if you ask Hawke she will eagerly explain it to you. In fact, you are very welcome to use my room."

Hawke who heard her name being mentioned looked up just as Isabela offered her room. The mage gave a sheepish smile and awkwardly scratched the back of her head. She did have feelings for the elf but she had not confided in anyone and how the pirate knew was beyond her.

…

A few hours later Isabela approached Anders who was standing by the fire, away from the rest of the group. Varric had now began to tell the story of how the Hero of Farelden had saved the world from the blight with the help of a Witch of the Wilds, a bastard prince and a bard and the whole tavern was listening. Anders however, brooding as usual, was in no mood for stories and Isabela, even though she enjoyed a good story, had more pressing matters to attend to.

"What now?" Anders said as he noticed that Isabela was moving closer. He was tired, a little drunk and was not in the mood for Isabela's usual banter.

"You know tranquils," Isabela started, "you know a lot about them, don't you?"

"Yes, I mean, I know what I have learned throughout my life. Why?" Anders voice was tired, still expecting Isabela to come up with some rude punch-line to her questions.

"I would like to know if it can be reversed." Anders didn't know what to answer at first; the pirate looked so seriously at him, her question hanging potently in the air.

"Why are you asking me Isabela?" He asked but when the woman didn't answer he continued, "there has been rumor of the rite or tranquility being reversed by the help of a demon or spirit and…"

"Like Justice?" Isabela interrupted.

"Yes," Anders replied, one of his eye brows raised. "I supposed Justice could do such a thing if he felt inclined."

Isabela flashed a grin and trailed her hand along his arm.

"And just what would it take for him to feel inclined to do so? Hmm?"

Anders pulled his arm away from her, wishing that that pirate wench wouldn't do so. Especially since he was quite sure that Isabela didn't even mean it.

"Isabela, what is this about?" He finally asked and removed his arm from her touch, "do you have a tranquil that needs helping?"

"Of course not," Isabela answered quickly, a little too quickly, "I'm just asking for the pursuit of knowledge, naturally. You know me, always curious, always wondering." With that she giggled and left a puzzled Anders by the fire. The pirate needed a walk and left the tavern.

When she had left Anders moved from where he was standing and went over to Hawke, who had somehow in her drunken state wounded up with Merrill practically sitting in her lap. As he approached them, Hawke stopped nuzzling Merrill's neck, pushed her gently off and stood up.

"What is it?" She asked, knowing him well enough to see that he had something to say.

"I just had a strange conversation with Isabela," he said

Hawke chuckled.

"What conversation with Isabela isn't strange in some way?"

Anders shook his head.

"No," he said, "this was really strange. She asked about curing tranquil. I want to think that maybe she actually cares about the plight of the mages but my gut, and Justice, tells me that she has some selfish motivation. Maybe she wants to help someone."

"Isabela… help?" Hawke chuckled again, "are we talking about the same person?"

She looked around, looking for the pirate, "where did she go?"

Varric had by now joined their conversation.

"You looking for our rivaini?" He said, him drunk also.

"Maybe she went to her room…?" Anders tried but Varric shook his head violently.

"She has a room here," the dwarf said, "but she rarely uses it. In fact, now that I think about it, I have never actually been inside her room. Have any of you?"

Merrill came up to them and Hawke put an arm protectively around the elf's shoulders.

"Isabela's room?" Merrill asked, "I asked her about it once, you know, asking if she took any of her lovers there. She said that if she took her lovers back to her room they would know where she lived."

"Wait a minute," Hawke said, "has nobody seen the inside of Isabela's room? Not even the countless of people she sleeps with." The mystery seemed so intriguing in the drunken mage's head.

"I know which room it is, if you want to check it out," Varric offered and Hawke nodded eagerly.

Fenris and Aveline had already left for the evening but Varric, Merrill, Anders and Hawke all walked together towards the door that was Isabela's. Both Varric and Hawke were giggling at the thought of finding out why Isabela wouldn't show her room to anyone and Anders was still pondering why the pirate wanted to know about tranquils. Merrill was slightly worried that her pirate friend was going to be mad when they went into her room without asking but wherever Hawke went, she went.

They stopped outside the door where Hawke proceeded by picking the lock with dexterous hands. The mage smiled with satisfaction when there was a slight *click* and the door could be opened. The four friends held their breath as Hawke pushed the door.

It was a common room, two medium sized beds, a small table and an empty wooden bath tub. There was nothing uncommon about the room, or any object in it, the only thing out of place was the woman who was sitting on one of the beds, holding a book.

"Hello," she said and smiled but her eyes were vacant and on her forehead she bore the mark of the tranquil.

The four friends stood silently, unsure of what to say.

"What the-?!" Isabela's angry voice could suddenly be heard behind them. Hawke looked up, feeling guilty for entering her friend's room and uncovering, whatever this was.

Isabela pushed past Varric and entered her room. The tranquil girl smiled again when she saw the pirate but then eyed the other four people.

"Naishe," she said, "who are these people?"


	2. Chapter 2 - The Pirate and The Tranquil

**Chapter 2 – The Pirate and The Tranquil**

Nobody spoke for a few minutes. Even the tranquil in the room remained quiet while observing her sudden intruders. The girl was short and her hair very long but apart from that she could have easily been taken for Isabela's sister. The girl's skin shone with a dark, Rivaini shade and her dark hair was held back from her face with a bandana; even her ears were adorned with big golden hoops. Hawke would have guessed that Isabela had dressed her if it wasn't for the modest apparel of a long dress.

"Umm, Isabela," Varric was the one to break the silence, "is there something you want to tell us?"

Isabela thought about it for a moment, wondering how she was going to play this. She didn't want to give the impression of being… _caring._

"Oh yeah," she eventually said in a devil-may-care way, "I have a tranquil here whom I think really deserves to be, well you know, not tranquil anymore. I was thinking that perhaps Justice could help with that."

Nobody replied, they were still in shock. Eventually Hawke had to say something.

"Isabela… how?" But before Isabela had a chance to reply Anders cut in.

"Isabela, if we agree to help you, and that is _if _agree to help you, we still wants some information. And you should know that I'm not even sure if we are able to help you. The reversal ritual is difficult and it has hardly ever been done."

"Not to mention," Hawke said, "it would be such a shame if she turned out to be a blood mage."

Everyone jumped a bit when the monotone voice of the girl suddenly replied.

"I am not a blood mage."

Hawke stepped closer into the room and without giving Isabela as much as a look started talking with the tranquil. Hawke knew that if Isabela didn't want to say something, there was nothing in the world that could reveal her secrets. The mage also had to admit to herself that she was irritated with Isabela for keeping this from them. They were supposed to be friends.

"Who are you?" Hawke asked the tranquil.

"My name is Aisha," the tranquil replied without blinking.

Anders followed Hawke's lead and walked into the room, also facing the Rivaini girl.

"Why were you made tranquil, Aisha?" He asked her.

"I don't know."

Isabela tried one of her usual grins and tried to hide the worry in her eyes.

"See, she doesn't know," she said, "doesn't matter. Can we just fix her?" The pirate received no answer, "pretty please?"

Hawke and Anders looked at each other for a little while, seemingly having some sort of silent conversation. Hawke lifted an eyebrow at Anders, _what do you think? _Anders just shrugged; he wasn't exactly an innocent and didn't feel like he could judge the pirate. The mage could feel Justice in his head, pressing him to try…

"Okay," Anders said and Isabela's eyes instantly grew wide.

"Okay?" She asked, "so you will do it?"

Anders nodded.

"I will try with Justice's help, but no promises okay."

"And," Varric added, "we still want to know what you are doing with a tranquil. A _Rivaini tranquil_ at that. Your people don't follow the chantry, so I'm guessing there is a story there; knowing you, a good one at that."

"I will tell when she is restored," Isabela said, but didn't mean it. She did not like talking about her past and had no intention of starting to. They would just have to be pissed off with her later, but then maybe Aisha would finally be herself.

Hawke nodded, she didn't believe that the pirate would actually tell but there was something in Isabela's eyes that made Hawke wanting to help her. And if Anders didn't mind…

Varric sighed.

"It's late," he said, "We are all tired. Perhaps it is time to call it a day?"

Isabela nodded eagerly, it felt so _invasive _to have her friends in her room. She wanted them to leave, to remove them before they kept asking questions… before the stupid tranquil said something they would both eventually regret. She let out a breath that she hadn't known she had been holding when Hawke nodded and her intruders finally left. Then Isabela walked forward and closed the door behind them. This was one of those nights when she did not feel like going out and finding somebody else's bed to sleep in. The pirate turned around and reluctantly faced the tranquil, the shell of the girl who had once been her best friend, her partner in crime, her… _lover._

"Naishe," the girl tried to get Isabela's attention, and the pirate twitched at the usage of her birth name, "what is going on?"

"Nothing you need to worry your pretty head with," Isabela replied, trying to sound light but failing miserably. She had had Aisha for a few months now, hiding her from the world. She had had no plan, until she had, having her ear to the ground as usual, heard about a tranquil who had reversed the rite of tranquility, since then the pirate had been wanting for the right opportunity to bring it up with Anders. _It was so handy being friends with a possessed mage._ It was probably good that her gang had found out about Aisha, now she could get help, but it didn't make Isabela feel any less uncomfortable about them having been in her room.

"I would like a bath," Aisha suddenly said and Isabela nodded absentmindedly. She knew that if Aisha asked for something it was because she needed it, not because she _fancied _it as such. "We'll go to the bathhouse in the morning."

The bathhouse in Lowtown wasn't the most hygienic or even very nice bathhouse but they had private stalls and hot water and that was all the pirate could ask for. It was very early in the morning as Isabela guided her tranquil friend through the busy streets in order for them to take a bath. She needed one herself anyway.

"Hot water, one hour." She said to the elf by the front door and threw him a couple of gold coins, ignoring his raised eyebrows and smirked at the thought of two women sharing a bathtub. _If he only knew. _

Inside the room, Isabela turned her back as Aisha removed her clothes and entered the tub. Then the pirate was quick to remove her own clothes too and slipped into the warm water. She took up one of the soaps she had brought with her, threw another one to Aisha and started proceeding to wash her body. Aisha mimicked her movements.

When the actual scrubbing was done, Isabela sank down in the water enjoying the warm sensation. The tub was large and square, something Isabela appreciated. This meant that she could lay on her side, facing away from Aisha so she didn't have to look at her or even acknowledge that she was there. The pirate closed her eyes, relaxing for the first time in days when sudden small hands were touching her back, scrubbing with the soap, almost kneading the skin. Isabela tensed up and turned around, pushing Aisha's hands away.

"What are you doing?" She hissed, trying to cover up the apparent and unwilling sign of arousal that her chest was showing.

"I was washing your back." Aisha replied, her voice void of emotion, "like I used to when we were young."

"Don't ever touch me." Isabela said and went out of the bath to get her towel. Her relaxing moment was over and Isabela felt furious. Furious with Aisha for being a tranquil and furious with her body for longing for Aisha's touch, for even reacting to it when Aisha wasn't herself. _Anders needs to fix this, _Isabela thought to herself as she quickly dried and got dressed, motioning for Aisha to do the same.


	3. Chapter 3 - The Rescuer and The Rescued

**Chapter 3 – The Rescuer and The Rescued**

When they returned to the Hanged Man Anders was there waiting for them.

"Good," he said, "you are here. I believe I have found a cure."

"Yes," Isabela exclaimed, "when can we go? Right now?"

"Hold your horses. There are some things you need to know first. Hawke has been kind enough to allow us to use her library for the ritual. We will go there and start by talking. After hearing what I have to say you might not want to go through with it."

"Let's just go," Isabela said impatiently.

…

They soon found themselves in Hawke's library. Hawke sitting on a chair near the door, looking curiously as Anders and was trying to explain to Isabela why the ritual was probably a very bad idea.

"I don't care," Isabela said softly, "I just would prefer it if Aisha could be herself again."

"Even if that might not be what is best for her?"

"What do you mean?" Isabela said and threw her arms up in the air. She then walked up and pulled Aisha forward.

"Is _this _what is best for her?" Isabela asked and then looked at Aisha with annoyance in her eyes, "she might as well be dead."

"Look," Anders said, "I realize that this is a friend of yours and that you want her back. But to reverse the rite… first of all, there is no guarantee that the reversal will be permanent and second, it is supposed to be a very horrific experience for the mage. Imagine remembering what pain feels like, to rediscover the emotions of despair, loneliness and sadness. I would not wish that on my worst enemy. Are you sure it wouldn't just be better to kill her?"

Anders' eyes were filled with compassion. He was no stranger to pain but the pirate in front of him wouldn't listen. At the mentioning of killing the tranquil Isabela's pupils dilated a little bit, and she threw a look at Aisha whose arm she was still holding.

"No," the pirate said, "I will never kill her. And she cannot remain this way. Any price is worth paying. Let's do it."

Anders sighed heavily.

"Tranquils also go to the Fade when they dream, but they are invisible to spirits and demons. If Justice knows what to look for he can force her out, touch her mind. Make her Fade-self and body-self connected once more. But we need for Aisha to sleep. I've made a simple sleeping potion that will put her to sleep so that we can proceed."

"What will happen when Justice has done the actual reversal?" Hawke suddenly said, "is there any risk that she could become an abomination?"

"Justice is not going to possess her! So no, probably not. But I cannot be sure what will actually happen afterwards, and most likely she is going to be more vulnerable to possession and she is going to be very emotional."

Isabela nodded.

"Aisha," Anders said as he reached inside his robe to procure the potion, "drink this."

The girl looked at her, her eyes still void of emotion. Her unseeing eyes caused Isabela to shiver, the pirate longed for her friend to be normal again.

The girl took the bottle and drank the contents without even asking what it was for. Tranquils weren't stupid, or had a deathwish; the girl just knew that Isabela wouldn't let anything happen to her. It wasn't an emotional type of trust. The girl just knew it in the same way she still knew that the sky was blue.

Isabela caught her as the strong herbs rose to her head and caused her to fall asleep.

"You can put her in my room I guess," Hawke said but sounded slightly unsure. The woman was still not sure if the whole reversal was a good thing and she really didn't want a fight to happen in her bedroom. But she also saw how tenderly Isabela carried the tranquil.

Isabela held Aisha as the party slowly walked to Hawke's bedroom. The young Rivaini looked peaceful in her sleep, her eye lashes so dark against her cheeks, and Isabela almost felt bad that she was going to force all the horrors of living on the girl once more. The pirate thought back to another time, a time when Aisha had still been Aisha…

…_Many years earlier…_

_Naishe, the girl who would grow up to be Captain Isabela, was pacing in the halls of Luis', her husband's, estate. She felt trapped and the pretty dress that Luis' maid had dressed her in this morning felt like it was going to suffocate or crush her. Isabela promised herself as she was walking that if she ever got out of here she would never again wear a big dress like this. _

_Up the stairs, down the stairs, through the kitchen, up to her bedroom, through a hallway, into Luis' bedroom, contemplating putting snakes in his bed, down the stairs, up another set of stairs, down to the courtyard, counting the bird's the sky, listening to the crashing waves of the sea. Isabela dreamt of the sea she had to, otherwise she would go crazy. Luis was planning another party when he came back from his travels but Isabela didn't like the parties. One day she would escape… one day she would no longer have to be a prisoner in what should be her home… one day she would no longer wake up to the feel of his tedious weight on top of her… one day…_

"_Naishe!" A very young Aisha came running and Naishe had to smile at the sight of her little friend. The first time she had met Aisha, she had been nothing but annoyed with the little girl who had been only 10 at the time. This was now almost five years later and Aisha had turned out to be a very good friend. She had also grown up, she was still short_

"_What is it, sweet thing?" Naishe said._

"_Agné mentioned you were here. I thought that maybe…"_

"_Maybe what?" Naishe said and winked at her._

_Aisha looked a little bit red. She had always looked up to the girl her father had brought home but during the last few months her adoration had turned to something deeper. Naishe who had always been good at that sort of thing, knew off course and she teased Aisha endlessly about it. The pirate-to-be had no such feelings for the girl who she thought of as her little sister. But she had nothing against teasing her little friend. _

"_I just thought that you might want some company," Aisha said and smiled shyly. _

_Naishe nodded and turned her face towards the sky again, relishing in the sun light on her face. Aisha looked at her for a moment and then turned her face towards the sun. The girls stood like that for a few moments, dreaming and wishing that they were somewhere else. _

…

Isabela put her friend on the bed and moved a few strands of black hair from the tranquil's face, hoping that none of her companions would notice the sudden display of tenderness. She turned around and nodded at Anders.

"Let's do it."

Anders nodded and went to sit next to Aisha, motioning for Isabela and the rest to stay back.

"This might take a while. Just be patient," Anders said and then his eyes flashed blue for a moment.

Meaningless words escaped from his lips, and wisps of blue light dashed around him and Aisha. Isabela has to stop herself from clutching a hand to her chest, not wanting to display any more vulnerability. Her heart was beating so fast, and it felt like every beat would break her chest and the pirate worried that Hawke would hear it. Merrill, bless her heart, touched the pirate's arm lightly as if wanting to provide comfort. _Merrill always knew._

Isabela didn't know how long they were standing there, watching Anders work. Anders was simply sitting still, with his eyes blue and unseeing; his observers had no idea what was going on.

"Maker!" Anders suddenly panted and pulled back, his eyes turning back to their usual colour, "no, oh, no!" He continued, tears streaming down her eyes. Isabela and Hawke stared at him, not knowing what to do. But then a sudden scream made them noticed that Anders had only been distracting her for the tranquil.

Aisha was sitting up, her face flushed and her mouth opened.

"Aisha!" Isabela yelled and fell to the girl's side.

Aisha turned towards her, her brown eyes still unseeing but no longer cold. Instead they were burning, hurting and for a moment Isabela truly wondered if this had been the right choice.

The pirate had to duck as the girl started screaming again and lashed out with her arms and legs, twisting and turning on the bed.


	4. Chapter 4 -The Bewildered and The Distra

**Sorry for late update! Have been so busy. But anyway hope you like it as usual :) please review or pm and let me know how I'm doing!**

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**Chapter 4 – The Bewildered and The Distraught**

Hawke didn't have a chance to react. Aisha kept screaming. Isabela had jumped on to the bed and was trying to hold down the distraught girl. Anders was still clutching his head, muttering something meaningless. Clearly, the former grey warden could offer no help. Isabela looked at Hawke, her gaze both bewildered and desperate in the same time. Hawke didn't know what to do, she looked around helplessly for anything or anyone to help her, the warrior's gaze landed on Merrill who had been standing some distance away. When the elf noticed the frantic situation she was not slow to act, she lifted her staff shouted some words and pushed her arms forward; the room turned a few degrees colder and Aisha became limp underneath Isabela who had been straddling her twitching friend in order to keep her still.

"She is just sleeping," Merrill said to Isabela's and Hawke's questioning eyes. Isabela didn't dare to breathe. Anders had told her about the consequences but Isabela hadn't cared, she had been so focused on getting her friend back. Now, after seeing how Anders had been affected and how Aisha hurt, Isabela almost regretted her decision. She got off Aisha, but stayed by her side barely noticing as Hawke leaned down by Anders.

"I'm… I'm fine," Anders said after a little while and attempted to stand by the help of Hawke's strong arm, "I… Justice didn't tell me that I would feel what Aisha was feeling," the mage looked at Isabela, keeping her gaze for several minutes, "what she is feeling is… it is horrible, Isabela. You better be there for her when she wakes up again."

"It should be in a few hours," Merrill chimed in from the back.

Anders nodded and took a few deep breaths.

"Okay, I would like to go back to my clinic now."

Hawke nodded and turned to look at the girl who was still lying on her bed.

"And what about you, Isabela?" Hawke asked, wanting to help but still eager to get the former tranquil out of her bed.

"Where do you suppose I should take her?" Isabela asked, "to the Hanged Man?"

"No…" Hawke started but Isabela interrupted her.

"You know what, Hawke. I think I do want to return to low town. It's where I belong and it is where Aisha will belong as soon as she comes to it."

Hawke remained quiet for a few seconds before speaking again.

"Isabela, you promised that you would tell us what is going on…"

…

How Isabela managed to worm her way out of Hawke's questioning and also carry Aisha back to the Hanged Man without any help the pirate would never know. She just knew that she didn't feel like answering any questions and she wanted Aisha and herself to be safely behind their own door before the girl woke up again.

Aisha was now safe on a bed, the pirate sitting next to it one a chair. Isabela's skin was crawling, she wanted to leave, wanted to find herself a good lay to take her mind off things but she couldn't leave. Not now. Not now when she was so close to having her friend back again. So Isabela waited, trying to keep calm and occupying her mind with what she would do once Aisha was back to normal. How Aisha would one day look at her, smile and laugh. How Isabela, when she got a boat, would take Aisha with her and show her how wonderful life on the sea could be, and how free you could feel without any men holding you down.

The girl on the bed stirred and for the first time Aisha opened her mouth but didn't scream. Her eyes wouldn't focus and instead kept moving, but then fell on Isabela. She sat up slowly. Isabela didn't dare to say a word, didn't want Aisha to lose control again.

"Naishe?" Aisha said, her eyes filling up with tears, "Naishe, why did you leave me?"

Isabela swallowed a couple of times. This was not a question she was ready to answer.

"I came back," she tried but it sounded feeble even to her own ears, "I came back but then you were already gone."

Naishe seemed to contemplate her words and Isabela hoped and prayed that the girl would leave it at that. There was one thing that Isabela was sure of and that was that she would never forgive herself for leaving Aisha behind.

"I'm hungry," the girl eventually said and Isabela sprang to her feet; happy at being able to do something practical.

"My friend Varric said we can use his quarters," Isabela said and extended her hand to Aisha, "come on."

Aisha nodded and took Isabela's head. Stood up. The pirate felt that girl's hand was trembling.

As they were leaving their room, Isabela had a sudden thought.

"My name isn't Naishe anymore," she said without even turning around, "call me Isabela."

Varric was in his quarters and accepted the offer to have some dinner with the women and Isabela left Aisha with him there as she went to the bar to procure some food. Behind her, Aisha sat down awkwardly on one of the chairs. The girl didn't look up but she could tell that the dwarf was looking at her.

"My name is Varric Tethras," Varric said, the story-teller in him desperately wanting to know what it was like being a tranquil.

"You are a dwarf," Aisha said quietly and Varric chuckled.

"That I am," he said, "what's it to you?"

Aisha looked up at him, her yellow eyes burning into him. Varric wanting to joke as always was held back by the raw emotion that shone in those eyes. Her eyes were almost the same shade as Isabela's but lighter, more yellow than gold or amber.

"You don't have a beard," Aisha eventually said and turned down her gaze again.

Varric threw his head back and laughed; now sure that the girl would be fun to be around once she was normal again.

Suddenly there was a rattle from the bar area, somebody cursed and there was a sound of a struggle. Varric was used to these sounds but Aisha looked terrified; she sprang to her feet, her arms twitching. She looked ready to bolt so Varric tried to put his hand on her arm, ready to hold onto her if she decided to run.

"You hit like my grandmother!"

Aisha looked up at the sound of Isabela's voice.

"Naishe," she gasped and suddenly she bolted forward, not giving Varric a chance to react. She ran through the door and down the stairs to the main room. She didn't know what she was doing, she just knew that her friend was in trouble and the thought of something happening to Isabela scared her.

Of course her help wasn't needed. Isabela was more than competent in handling herself in a battle; even when one of her hands was occupied by a bundle of bread and cheese. She didn't even need to bloody her blade, two kicks and the drunken patron who had started the whole thing was on the ground and anyone who had had the foolish inclination to come to his aid were threatened by just a look at her knife.

"Ha," Isabela said rolling her eyes, turned around and had almost the air knocked out of her when Aisha ran forward and threw her arms around Isabela's waist and burying her face in the pirate's bosom. When the pirate noticed who it was and noticed how the girl was shaking she carefully stroked Aisha's hair.

"Sweetness," she said softly, "it is okay. I'm not hurt."

Aisha let go of Isabela, and wiped her face quickly as if brushing away tears.

"Let's go and eat," Isabela said lightly, "I know it isn't much but it will feed us. And I'm so hungry I could eat a darkspawn."

Aisha took a step back and nodded. Together the women went back to Varric.


	5. Chapter 5 -The Captain and the Mage

**Chapter 5 – The Captain and The Mage**

The days passed by slowly. Isabela started joining Hawke and the others for adventures once more, but only after Aisha had assured her that she didn't mind being left alone. The former tranquil still hadn't left the Hanged Man and she only very reluctantly left her room at all. The world outside still scared her. Merrill had started bringing her books that Aisha read most eagerly and she had had visits from Anders telling her techniques for protecting herself against possession. Aisha listened with one ear, not really sure if she would be able to resist if a demon came for her, but she didn't say that.

Isabela didn't talk with her. They shared pleasantries and spoke of things such as food but neither of them discussed the past or the future, or how Aisha had winded up in Isabela's care, or even_ why_ Isabela had cared for her. Sometimes when being unable to sleep Aisha would find herself wishing that she was still a tranquil, still deep in sleep and not having to worry. At other times, she would look over at Isabela sleeping in the other bed and almost feel grateful that she was back to life. Isabela confused her, the women was not the same girl that Aisha had grown up with. She was still evading, mysterious, always joking, and still so unbearably beautiful but there was something missing, she had _hardened _in a way; Aisha couldn't put a finger on what.

The door opened and the girl looked up. She was sitting on one of the beds with a large book resting on her crossed legs. It was boring her and she was both thankful and surprised to see her pirate friend walking through the door.

"Hey," Isabela said, "I want you to come with me outside." Aisha looked at her and Isabela saw that her words had startled her friend.

"I don't want to," Aisha replied quickly. The world outside was messy, with angry, happy, sad, worried, ecstatic, depressed people – too many emotions. Sometimes just the sounds from the tavern were too much for the former tranquil.

Isabela nodded and lay, first throwing her daggers down on the floor, on the other bed, putting her arms under her head and crossing her legs.

"I'm so tired," she said, "Hawke had us fight dragonlings, _dragonlings! _Well, I'm never bored, that's for sure."

"Are you never scared?" Aisha asked, putting her book down and looked up at the pirate. The pirate laughed.

"Nope, never. Why should I be scared? Either I manage or I die and if I die, I'm dead and that's that."

Isabela closed her eyes as if preparing to sleep and Aisha felt panic rising, there were some questions she just had to have answered.

"Nai.. Isabela," she tried and one amber eye opened, looking at her, "why did you help me?"

Isabela sighed.

"I promised you, didn't I?"

"That's not good enough and you know that." But Isabela didn't answer. It was Aisha's turn to sigh and she opened her book again.

"You were gone," Isabela suddenly said, "when I came back to get you. You were gone. It took me over seven years to find what had even happened to you, and then I had to locate you and…"

Aisha couldn't mistake the clear hurt that was so evident in Isabela's voice and it warmed her heart to know that her friend hadn't abandoned her as Aisha had thought for so many years. It was the mage's turn to talk. There were too many things unsaid.

"I was sold to Henry," she said in a small voice and Isabela spit at the mentioning of his name.

"I knew that's what Luis was planning; I can't believe he was enough of a bastard to sell his own daughter!"

"Do I need to remind you that your own mother did the same?" Aisha said, but then continued, "I… wasn't what he wanted, in more than one way. He… beat me. He wasn't like dad was to you. He let his friends have their way with me."

This was the first time Isabela had heard this and she had to clench her fists. She couldn't help but feel responsible.

"He found another girl that he wanted to marry, she was older than me. More mature and probably more fun. She complained about me eventually, wanting to marry him and have me gone. I'm not sure how it went about but one day I was drugged and when I woke up, there were some mages performing what I think was the rite of tranquility. I'm not sure what happened after that, I don't remember everything. I remember a chantry sister telling me to come with her, and I remember a long boat ride and more importantly, I remember you picking me up by the docks. I was still a tranquil but I could have sworn that I felt… _happy_."

"They sold you, to what I believe was some corrupt chantry people. They performed the rite of tranquility to have you as their servant," Isabela added through gritted teeth.

Aisha nodded.

"How did you find me?"

"That chantry sister you mentioned," Isabela said, "I had a run-in with her at a tavern called The Pearl. She told me about a beautiful Rivaini tranquil and how she had never seen anything like it. After a bit of talking, it became clear that you were that tranquil. I didn't know how you had become a tranquil, or what I would do with you but eventually the sister, Leliana I think her name was, sent word that she had managed to get you away from the chantry where you were living. I don't know how she found me, or how she knew it was the right thing to do but before I knew it, you were on a boat to here."

"Thank you," Aisha said quietly, "thank you for everything."

"Don't worry about it, sweet thing," Isabela said, the pirate closed her eyes once more hoping to get a few hours of sleep. She would be heading to the Blooming Rose later and wanted to get some rest first. Her plans were about to be changed though.

"Isabela," a small voice said, "I think I'm ready to go out now."

…

Aisha was wearing a green tunic, black trousers and boots. But just like her fellow Rivaini she had a taste for jewelry and she wore a big gold necklace and two big earrings. However, now when she went outside the Hanged Man she took a big shawl and wrapped it around her head and shoulders as if wanting it to protect her.

Isabela rolled her eyes at Aisha's shawl but took her hand and led her to the docks. Aisha kept her head down as they were walking, not wanting to see more than she had to. It was like she could _feel _every emotion that the people around her were carrying, and it was too much. Too much, too soon. When Isabela finally reached her goal, tears were falling down the mage's cheeks and it wasn't just because of the unfamiliar sunlight. Isabela turned suddenly and walked through an alley reaching a small bridge which had a small dingy tied to it.

Isabela stopped and jumped down, agile as ever, into it.

"Come on," she said to Aisha and lent her a hand to the girl but the mage didn't take it but rather sat down on the bridge before calmly sliding down into the dingy.

"Are we going far?" She asked the pirate as Isabela grabbed the oars and started rowing with quick swift movements. Isabela just shook her head but didn't reply. Instead she took deep breaths enjoying the salty sea air, and the soft movements of the boat over the water. When they had reached far enough that the houses in Kirkwall looked like toys, she stopped rowing and simply sat, letting the waves gently rock the boat.

The women sat in silence, enjoying the peace and Aisha was in particular enjoying the lack of constant emotion that clung to the air in town, she found it easier to breathe than she had since being brought back.

"How did you know this was just what I needed?" She asked Isabela with a smile.

Isabela scoffed.

"What do you mean sweetness?" She asked with mockery in her voice, "I did this for me, there is nothing like the open sea. Even if it is just for a few hours."

Aisha giggled and then clasped her hand over her mouth at the unfamiliar sensation. She quietly wondered how many years she had spent as a tranquil; how many years had it been since she had laughed or giggled? Then she moved her hand and smiled a broad smile. _It was nice out at sea._


	6. Chapter 6 - The Mother and The daughter

**Chapter 6 – The Mother and The daughter**

Aisha was surprised at how quickly she learned to keep her emotions in check. Isabela continued taking her out to see in the little dingy almost every day and after just a few weeks Aisha started following Hawke and the group around. The mage had always had a flare for healing and ice spells and she turned out to be very helpful much to both Isabela's and Hawke's delight.

Aisha also had to relearn who Isabela was; Naishe had been a different person. The mage saw with surprise how Isabela got drunk, hit on men or women until she found someone to spend the night with. More than once Aisha had heard the sound of her tumble through the thin walls in the Hanged Man. The mage wasn't sure if she disliked it or not. It surprised her, made her slightly uncomfortable but intrigued her nonetheless. Isabela drank, thieved, slept around but she was also caring, loyal in her own way and she had a sense of fairness that was hard to argue with. Aisha had every sense of respect for the pirate rogue. Aisha had once upon a time shared many of these traits; she had once enjoyed drink, dirty jokes and the thrill of a good heist. The only thing she had never understood was Isabela's ability to sleep with almost anyone. Apart from Isabela, Aisha had never slept with anyone willingly.

…

The gang had been celebrating a job well done in the tavern; even Aisha had enjoyed a drink. But the Hanged Man had gotten too rowdy even for Hawke and her party and with the warm summer night beckoning outside they had gone out for a walk together. Hawke was walking in the front with an arm around Merrill's waist, and Aisha was walking next to the couple. Behind them Isabela was talking with Anders and Aisha was enjoying listening to their silly banter. Anders had struck up a conversation asking the if she really had no opinion on the, in his opinion, _plight of the mages, _especially because of the _Aisha –situation_. Aisha had to put her hand over her mouth not to laugh out loud when Isabela simply replied:

"No, I'm afraid I'm really this shallow."

Anders seemed distraught at her devil-may-care answer. Aisha however, doubted that Anders would be so surprised about Isabela's attitude if he had known how she and Aisha had grown up. Now, Aisha wasn't entirely sure what Isabela's life had been like during the years Aisha had spent as a tranquil but she guessed that it hadn't exactly been easy on the pirate.

Hawke suddenly asked for her attention.

"So," Hawke said, "you are still a mystery to us you know. Who are you? How do you know Isabela?"

Aisha giggled, a little bit tipsy from the previous drinking; she threw a glance at the pirate who was walking behind them. To the mage's absolute delight her pirate friend winked at her. Aisha smiled and then she turned to Hawke and uttered the words that caused the entire party to halt.

"Oh, Isabela is my mother."

"What?"

Everyone stopped and stared opened mouth at the girl who was grinning like an idiot.

"Andraste's arse," Isabela swore under her breath, "Hawke, I am not her bloody mother. I just… I was married to her father. I am… well, I guess I am her step-mother if you want to use that term."

"You were married?" Hawke asked and raised an eyebrow, "for some reason I have a hard time picturing that."

For the first time Aisha found that being a former tranquil didn't just put any negative emotions in overdrive but also the positive ones. She was absolutely giddy and she just wanted to laugh.

"My father bought her," Aisha giggled, "he bought her, brought her home and told me that she was my new mother. And then a few years later, he died but not before he managed to sell me to another man who then sells me to some bloody mages who made me a tranquil." She now laughed so that the tears sprayed from her eyes. Isabela was standing next to her looking furious; the mage didn't even know why she found it so funny. _It wasn't funny. It had never been funny. _But still in this moment, Aisha had to laugh. She had to laugh at their stupid, pathetic, sad lives.

Everyone around them was feeling uncomfortable, except Anders who understood that this was just another side-effect. Hawke looked questioningly at Isabela, wondering what to do with the newly revealed information.

To everyone's surprise Anders was the one who eventually spoke.

"You rescued your step-daughter. I always knew you had a heart of gold. You are not nearly as selfish as you pretend."

Isabela chuckled at that and went over to her still hysterically laughing friend.

"Shhh," she said and tried to hug her but the laughing was shaking Aisha so badly that she was hard to get a grip on, "calm down, sweetness, it is fine."

Aisha's laughing turned to tears and she gratefully let Isabela hold her. Eventually her violent sobbing subsided and she quickly removed herself from the pirate's embrace.

"Sorry," she whispered to Isabela, so low so that nobody else could hear her.

Isabela nodded quickly and then the party resumed walking. Trying to forget what just happened. Hawke just threw a look at Isabela and the pirate nodded, she would tell the whole story eventually.

Instead of just blindly walking around with no goal, they started going home one by one. Hawke stopped by her mansion and subtly asked if Merrill wanted to stay the night. Anders quickly excused himself when they were near dark-town. Eventually it was just Varric, Isabela and Aisha left.

"Varric, make sure she gets home," Isabela said to the dwarf, not even giving Aisha a look.

"Why, where are you going?" Aisha said worryingly, but the pirate just ignored her.

"That is nothing you have to worry your sweet little head with," Isabela said, still not looking at her and then she took off into the night leaving Aisha alone with Varric.

"Are you okay, girlie?" Varric asked the girl who was still standing and looking in the direction that Isabela had left.

"Where is she going?"

"Do you want the truth?" Varric was still not sure what kind of relationship and background the mage and the pirate had had but the dwarf had his suspicions. The girl nodded but Varric could almost not see her it was so dark by now.

"She probably went to the Blooming Rose," Varric said matter-of-factly, "you know what kind of establishment that is?"

"Yes," Aisha said darkly and turned around facing Varric again, "fine, let's go."

As they were taking the long stairs back to low town Aisha felt a familiar sting in her heart. It had been years since she had felt it last time but for some reason it had always been circumstances involving Isabela that brought out such emotions from the her. The last time it had also involved a notorious elf called Zevran.

Aisha was feeling jealous.


	7. Chapter 7 - The OOA and The girl

**Chapter 7 – The Object of affection and The Girl**

Aisha went to bed when she arrived back at the Hanged man. She took her trousers and her shoes off and de-laced the front of her tunic so that it wasn't constricting so much. The mage shook her head slowly when realizing that that was how Isabela always wore hers. She crawled underneath her flee-bitten blanket, hoping that it wouldn't take too long for her to fall asleep. She turned to her side, pulled her legs up and hugged them to herself. It felt like little shards of her soul was missing, little silly things that nobody would notice but her. The parts that could regulate emotion, that could smile and laugh and not have everything hurt. Those parts were missing, they had probably been lost in the Fade and they were never coming back. Aisha didn't want to sleep; she didn't want to open herself up to the possibility of more nightmares. She didn't want to scream and to wake up and realize that she was alone. She was always alone. So Aisha stayed awake, humming to herself and silently praying a Rivain-prayer that Isabela would come home.

Isabela did come home, but several hours later, quietly opening the door and sneaking inside. She sat down on her bed and while looking at Aisha's seemingly sleeping figure took her boots of. She mindlessly scratched the red patches where the rough leather had created irritated skin while she kept watching Aisha. Isabela couldn't help but wonder what she had gotten herself into.

Zevran, an assassin had killed her husband, Aisha's father, with a single stab to the back of the head. It had been seemed so simple and Isabela had felt stupid for not having the guts to do it earlier herself. Isabela wanted to scold herself for how she had been towards Aisha afterwards, and how the future-pirate had acted those following days. She had been so caught up in being free that she lost complete focus. She had thanked Zevran profusely by dragging him into her bedroom and staying there for days, completely ignoring her friend who was now an orphan. After Zevran had left, Isabela had also left Luis' estate wanting to secure ownership of the _Siren's call_, but when Aisha had wanted to come along Isabela had refused saying it wasn't safe to bring her along when they didn't know what they were facing. Isabela had only been gone for about a week, leaving Aisha _safely at home, _but when the pirate returned Aisha was nowhere to be found.

As Isabela continued to stroke her slightly aching legs, Aisha was awake but pretending to be asleep and in similar thoughts. She thought about the killing of her father and how Isabela had… slept with that elf. How she hadn't wanted Aisha with her when going after the ship. Aisha didn't want to blame Isabela for leaving her, her intentions had been good and none of them could have known that Luis had sold Aisha just before his death.

Aisha opened her eyes wanting to look at Isabela, and hoping that she wouldn't notice that the mage was awake. Isabela was on the bed, her bare legs spread out, the bandana and necklace were for once also off and she was simply lying down on the bed. One arm was resting on the pillow above her head and the other was draped across her stomach. She wasn't asleep yet, her breathing wasn't deep or slow enough but she was close. She suddenly sat up and started tinkering with her tunic; Aisha quickly closed her eyes and resumed her pretending to be asleep. There was some movement and the sound of fabric being tossed on the floor and then a soft thud as Isabela lay back on the bed once more. When her breathing was calming and slowing, Aisha dared once again to open her eyes. The sight that met her eyes almost made her cough out loud. Isabela had apparently found the night too warm and had removed her clothes completely leaving her equally curvaceous and muscular body visual for anyone who wanted to see. And Aisha wanted to see. She couldn't stop looking, her eyes roaming over the form of the sleeping pirate and feeling her heart beat speed up when reaching to her bosom and then travelling further and reaching the juncture of the pirate's legs. Aisha felt an unfamiliar trembling starting deep inside her and she pondered how long it had been since she had felt like that. Then it occurred to her that she didn't even know how many years it had been. How many years had it been since that summer that Isabela had shown the mage how touches and kisses could mean so much? What pleasure could feel like? How long had it been since Isabela had unknowingly ruined Aisha for anyone else? Had made Aisha hers without wanting or meaning to?

Aisha didn't know what she wanted; she just knew that she had to do something. She was still on an emotional rollercoaster, never aware of where her emotions would take her next. And now she had arrived here, at arousal, wanting, yearning, needing. Trembling fingers reached the hem of her tunic and pulled it off her body in one swift movement, she quickly took of her small-clothes as well and then stood up. She usually didn't enjoy the feeling of vulnerability that came with being naked but right then it felt perfect and just right.

Her legs were shaking but carried her on quick steps. _One, two three_. Three steps was all it took and then she was there, hovering over Isabela's sleeping form. This was when Aisha's bravery faded. What was she doing? She couldn't just take all her clothes of and crawl naked into Isabela's bed! Aisha would have turned back to her own bed if it hadn't been for the pounding in her abdomen that just wouldn't stop.

She sat down softly on the bed, relieved that it didn't wake the pirate up. Then she slowly laid her body down, next to the pirate but with her back to her. Without daring to breathe she took Isabela's arm, the one that had been resting on her stomach and draped it across herself. Isabela moaned softly in her sleep but didn't wake up and let herself be pulled to the side until she was spooning the former tranquil. Isabela muttered something else and then suddenly pressed herself against mage, forcing her on her stomach and draping one long leg over Aisha's waist and pulling her close; one of the pirate's hands settling over Aisha's breast in the process. Then the pirate sighed as if pleased with the position and resumed her deep sleep.

Aisha didn't know what to do. She was trapped under Isabela who was almost lying on top of her and there was no way of getting free without waking the sleeping pirate up. Aisha didn't know what she had been planning but getting stuck in this position hadn't been it. Isabela smelled of the sea and tar but also faintly of an unfamiliar perfume which, it eventually occurred to Aisha, must be the perfume oh whoever had invited Isabela into their bed earlier the same evening. After a few moments of fervent thinking the girl decided to remain where she was rather than waking Isabela up. She was at least comfortable where she was, and there, with Isabela on top of her and with an arm and leg holding her possessively close Aisha almost felt _safe. _

…

It was early in the morning when Hawke decided to go for a walk. She cherished the early hours when no one else was up yet, and the air was somehow _cleaner_. She softly kissed the cheek of the elf that was sleeping next to her and then put on her clothes and left.

Outside the air was just as fresh as the champion had hoped and she took deep, greedy breaths in the clean cool air. She walked with brisk steps toward the exit of the city, wanting to take a walk in the mountains before breakfast. She needed the reprieve from the busy life in Kirkwall and the stress of constant battle.

…

When Isabela started waking up the first thing she did was notice how warm and sweaty everything was. Then the pirate had to smile as she felt the flush, female body next to her. It wasn't often she fell asleep after getting what she wanted but it wasn't unheard of either. She wondered silently who was next to her but decided it didn't matter. Instead she started lazily moving her hand up and down the girl's side, stroking a naked leg and relishing in the satisfied hum that escaped from the girl in her arms. Without opening her eyes, she moved away from the girl just enough to be able to press her on her back and then carefully pushed her legs open with her hand before laying herself in between them, smiling with glee when she noticed how wet her companion was. The pirate slowly lowered her face as well, searching for the girl's lips…

"Naishe," a whimpering moan escaped from the throat of Isabela's unfamiliar bed partner and at once the pirate's eyes flashed open. In less than a second she was aware of where she was and who was lying underneath her, Aisha, with lips slightly parted and needy, docile eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Isabela hissed and immediately got off the girl, pulling her blanket which was on the floor to cover up her body, a movement which was not like her at all, "go back to your own bed!"

Aisha, now also fully awake, stumbled up and ran to her own bed, also taking her own blanket and covering her naked shame. She couldn't believe that touching her had been so repulsive to Isabela that she had almost yelled at her.

"I'm s…sorry," she stuttered, "I… don't know what came over me."

Isabela swallowed once then sat down on her bed and reached for her clothes, started dressing.

"It is fine," she said, trying to sound light, "just… don't do it again. It would feel wrong, like diddling a sister."

Aisha swallowed back tears and instead of replying started putting on her clothes as well. She felt rejected and had had one of her worst fears realized – Isabela did think of her as a little sister. No wonder she could have so casually thrown her aside all those years ago when all Zevran had to do was wink in Isabela's direction.

Aisha had no idea what was actually going on inside the pirate. Isabela had to be really focused to not let the slight shaking of her hands show, she didn't want to show Aisha the effect she had had on her. She did not think of Aisha as a sister and _diddling _her would not have felt wrong. But Isabela couldn't do it. She could have casual sex with nearly everyone left and right, anyone who came in her way and who was good looking and fun. The problem was _Aisha_, cute, warm little Aisha, whom would most likely receive Isabela with open arms; Isabela felt nothing but carefully guarded affection for her. But love… love was not for everyone, and especially not for her. She would gladly protect and care for Aisha for as long as she was able, but only as a sister. She couldn't cross that line with her, the thought terrified her. No, Isabela couldn't have casual sex with Aisha, and the pirate had nothing else to offer.


	8. Chapter 8 - The Sleeping and The Convers

**Chapter 8 – The Sleeping and The Conversationalist**

After the _incident _Aisha couldn't go back to sleep. Isabela had turned her back to the mage and by the sound of her faint snoring, had gone back to slumbering. Aisha couldn't believe how easy Isabela could just forget about what had happened. The girl's heart wouldn't stop its frantic beating, and she couldn't stop thinking about how it had felt. How it had felt when Isabela had moved on top of her, moved Aisha's legs apart. The girl had to blush at how wanton Aisha had whimpered Isabela's name. She didn't want to think about it. Aisha had been half asleep for the majority of it, but still, the things she had felt were enough to render it impossible to once again fall asleep. When the sounds from the tavern were getting louder, betraying that it was almost time for breakfast; Aisha got up and got dressed. Leaving Isabela still sleeping, she went out.

She walked around aimlessly for a while, hoping to see something interesting or even finding a dropped coin so she could buy herself some breakfast. She couldn't help but noticing the looks she got, some where from men who either liked what they saw or thought she was Isabela; some where from people who just didn't like foreigners in general and with her dark Rivaini skin, Aisha could not blend in as easily as people from Ferelden.

Eventually she arrived at the docks and sat down on a bridge, enjoying the fresh sea air. _Maybe Isabela is right, _the girl thought to herself, _perhaps there is no feeling in the world like being out on the open sea. _Aisha wondered if what Isabela said was true, that they were someday going to leave Kirkwall behind and simply be free. Be pirates.

"Aisha," a voice behind her made her turn around, "what are you doing here? It's really early in the morning."

"Hello Hawke," Aisha said and leapt to her feat, "I could ask you the same thing. I thought you would be with Merrill." The last thing was said with a teasing smile. She had grown up with Isabela after all.

"I love a good walk in the morning," Hawke said, looking at the girl. There was something insecure in her eyes. Hawke occasionally worried that the emotions would one day become too much and Aisha would turn into an abomination. There was no reason to tell Aisha, or even Isabela of these fears however. Isabela may act like she didn't care, but it was clear to everyone that Isabela cared deeply for the mage.

"Hey," Hawke said, "why don't you join me and Merrill for breakfast?"

…

Aisha soon found herself sitting next to Merrill at a table at the Hawke estate. Hawke had been feeling extra hungry and had prepared a huge breakfast for the three women. For Aisha, who had mainly eaten bad food from the Hanged Man, this was an uncommon luxury. She drank tea, ate bread with both cheese and butter and enjoyed every minute of it.

"Mmm, food," Merrill said and giggled to herself. Aisha looked at the elf and had to giggle too. She understood why Isabela called her _kitten. _She was a kitten.

"So," Aisha said, swallowing her food and trying to converse, "anything exciting going on?"

"We ran into a man," Merrill said before biting into her bread.

"A man?"

"Yes, a man," Hawke continued, "his name was Sebastian Vael, a prince of Starkhaven. We ran into him a few years back… before you joined us. I think he will stick around this time though. He is a good archer. A good asset."

Aisha was quiet for a bit.

"How many years have you known Isabela?" She eventually asked, curious about the years she had missed. Curious about Isabela's past too. The pirate was strangely secretive about her past, even if she was very open about her… _present. _

Hawke looked at Merrill for a little bit and counted in her head.

"I would say around three years now."

"How did you meet?"

Hawke chuckled.

"I ran into her at the Hanged Man and she asked me for help in a duel."

"That sounds like Isabela, alright," Aisha smiled, "and then she just stuck around or what?"

"Yeah, she needed a new hobby. Something to keep her occupied, and out of trouble."

"She is our friend," Merrill chimed in.

"Aisha, I'm awfully curious," Hawke then continued, "Isabela and you… your relationship, is it…?"

"We are sisters more than anything," Aisha smiled.

"You seem… _close?"_

The young mage laughed then.

"You know," she said, "I don't think Isabela is capable of being close to anyone."

Merrill wrinkled her nose in confusion.

"I thought Isabela was close with many people, she…"

"Oh sure," Aisha interrupted, "she can be _close _with people. But she touches them; nobody is allowed to touch her. She has always been like that."

"Speaking of me, are we?" Isabela said and entered the room. She had easily picked the lock on Hawke's front door rather than just knocking.

"Isabela," Aisha said and turned red, "no, we were just…"

"Relax sweet thing," Isabela said, "Hawke, you should tell me before you kidnap Aisha. I was worried."

Aisha almost smiled when Isabela said that she had been worried, but the casual way Isabela said it portrayed no emotional connection. _Maybe she was just worried that I was turning into an abomination_, Aisha thought to herself, _considering how full of lust I was last night_. This made Aisha remember what had happened last night and she felt herself blush and was grateful that none of the others commented on it.

"Um, Serah Hawke?" Bodahn peeked through the door of the room where they were eating.

"What is it Bodahn?" Hawke asked.

"There is a man looking for you. He says his name is Sebastian Vael."

"Show him in, Bodahn."

The dwarf nodded and went back to the hallway. The companions chuckled in unison when they heard a man's voice saying hello and Sandal's enthusiastic "enchantment", the little dwarf's standard answer for practically everything.

"Can he say anything else?" Aisha whispered to Merrill.

"Of course he can," Merrill replied, "but why would he want to? I wish I had a word that explained in such detail what I was feeling that I didn't need any other. Perhaps _elf_ would do? No, it is too short." Then a man entered the room. He smiled a chivalrous smile and nodded at Hawke.

"Sebastian," Hawke said and went to shake his hand, "would you care for some breakfast?"

"Thank you that would be lovely," Sebastian replied and went to take a seat opposite of Aisha and Merrill.

"What about vhenadahl? No, I have never liked words with a v-sound." Merrill muttered to herself, still trying to find that one perfect word.

Sebastian looked puzzled at her but didn't mention it, instead he smiled at Isabela and then Aisha.

"You I know," he said, "but you… I haven't met you before, have I?"

"Oh of course," Hawke offered, "this is Aisha. Aisha, this is Sebastian Vael, the prince who I was telling you about earlier?"

"Prince?" Aisha asked curiously and returned Sebastian's warm smile.

"Yes," he said, "it is rather a long story that I do not wish to bother you with right now. Or a title I am happy to claim."

"Elgar'nan, yeah, that might work. But surely it is not as beautiful as flower, or simply river… or."

"So have you been in Kirkwall long?" Sebastian asked Aisha as Hawke handed him a cup, "thank you."

"Perhaps Arlathan would be more suitable."

"A couple of months," Aisha replied. They continued talking for a few minutes. In the beginning Aisha had been worried that Sebastian was going to ask why she carried the mark of tranquility on her forehead when she clearly wasn't one, but talking with him was easy and she soon found herself relaxing. Isabela, on the other hand, was looking more and more uncomfortable.

"I've never understood something," the pirate eventually said wanting to break up the too- comfortable- conversation between Aisha and Sebastian.

"What is it?" Sebastian said, turning his eyes away from Aisha, who he had been eyeing quite intently.

"I've never understood why the Chantry says that if you're good, you'll be taken up to the Maker's side."

Sebastian sighed. He hadn't spent much time with Hawke and the others but he had already understood what kind of person the pirate was. He used to be like her, before he had found the Maker and realized how empty his life had been.

"Those who die with the sins cleansed from their souls will walk beside the Maker in eternity."

"That doesn't sound fun! If they really want people to be good, shouldn't they offer an afterlife with… lakes of wine and a dozen naked virgins?"

A giggle escaped Aisha, causing Isabela to look pleased.

"Anyone who wants that will be going to the Void," Sebastian replied and sighed again.

"Well," Isabela said, "it sounds like that is where all the good parties will be."

"Well," Hawke interjected, "perhaps we should get going. Sebastian, you said there was… umm, something that needed my attention," she scratched the back of her head awkwardly; "sorry, there has been a lot lately."

"No worries, Hawke," Sebastian replied, "I learned who hired the company who murdered my family. It was a noble family here in Kirkwall. They were supposed to be allies to my parents, it is hard to believe that they betrayed us. I want to speak with Lady Harimann, she is the current head of the family, I must find out what happened. I would like you to accompany me, if you please, you never know what might happen."

"Let's go right now," Hawke replied and they set of.

Aisha went with them even though it made her slightly uncomfortable. Next to mages such as Merrill and Hawke, the girl was not sure if she could be of any help. She did like having an eye out for her comrades though, staying back and simply healing them if it was needed.

Hawke was talking with Isabela, so Aisha stayed back with Sebastian as they were walking.

"I'm sorry Serah," Sebastian said, "that you have been dragged into this as well."

"What do you mean?"

"Merrill and Hawke are both battle mages, Isabela is very well versed in battle. You on the other hand, you carry yourself like a lady. I have a feeling that you have been placed in the middle of this against your will."

"Oh, I…" Aisha was lost for words, "I… I'm Isabela's friend. She used to be married to my father."

"I did not know that," Sebastian continued, "I wouldn't have thought a woman like her would have been married. Tell me, lady, where is your father now? Why are you here, instead of with him?"

"He wasn't a nice man, and he is dead now."

Sebastian remained quiet for a while after that.

"Sorry, ser, I have to ask," Aisha then pleaded, "why is it that you have not asked me why I am carrying the mark of tranquility?"

Sebastian gave her a quick look.

"It is not my place to ask, serah. Your secrets are your own, and after speaking to you it is clear that you are an honorable woman. It is not my place to judge you based on any injustice that has been forced upon you in the past, or how you managed to escape it. I was forced into the Chantry when I was young, Hawke was forced to Kirkwall because of dark spawn, none of us a truly free."

Aisha smiled at him and to her surprise Sebastian returned her smile with a warm one of his own. They looked at each other and continued smiling until a not-so-subtle cough made them force their attention towards a certain pirate.

"You two look really cute ogling one another," Isabela said, "but Hawke wants to know which house it is."

…

Later that evening, Isabela and Aisha said good bye to Merrill, Hawke and Sebastian and starting walking back to low town.

"Has Merrill moved in with Hawke?" Aisha asked as they were walking down the long, long stairs that led to their home part of town. Isabela's chuckle was low and throaty and Aisha cursed how the sound caused the fine hairs on her neck stand up.

"Oh I think kitten has our hero wrapped around her little finger. It is good for them though. What about you and Choir boy?"

"Choir boy?" Aisha asked confused but then it dawned on her, "oh, you mean Sebastian? We were just talking."

"Sure you were, sweetness, sure you were," Isabela said teasingly but inside she was aching just a little bit, "I sincerely hope he hasn't taken any vows, because…"

"Oh shut up," Aisha said tiredly, "I'm not you. I don't sleep with every cute person who…"

Isabelle laughed out loud.

"Oh, so you do think he is cute!"

Aisha turned silent. They had now reached the Hanged Man and they went inside.

"Mmm," Isabela purred, "speaking of yummy looking men." Aisha rolled her eyes as Isabela apparently had found a victim and strutted in his direction.

The girl shook her head and went to the room instead. She took of most of her clothes, her necklace and earrings. She also took of her green bandana and then washed her face with the water from a small pot that they had in their room. She lay down on her bed, hugging herself and hoping once again that she would get to sleep without any night terrors. A sudden noise made her sit up.

"Mmmm, just like that." It was Isabela's voice. She had apparently managed to get whoever she had targeted into bed. And apparently he was good because the pirate soon voiced her pleasure again.

At first it simply made Aisha embarrassed to hear her friend but soon these feelings changed into something else. She reached down with a hand, stroking herself and almost pretending it was Isabela's hand. The mage didn't remember many things from her time before tranquility but there was one thing she remembered like it was yesterday and that was the feeling of Isabela's touch.

The pirate's moans grew louder; Aisha's hand movements faster.

"Naishe," she moaned and wished that Isabela was there, with her rather than with whoever she was now. The girl forced herself to stop. There was no use moaning or wanting Isabela; all it did was making Aisha sad and frustrated. She removed her hand and wiped it on the sheet next to her, it was already dirty anyway.

"Naishe," she let herself whimper one last time; then she turned to her side and fell asleep.


	9. Chapter 9 - The Adventurer and The Panth

**Chapter 9 – The Adventurer and The Pantheist**

The next few days passed by eventfully. Aisha found herself spending more and more time away from the others, spending time at the docks taking in the sea air and pretending she was somewhere else. Anders taught her to meditate and ground her emotions; but he also taught her stories of his cat Ser Pounce-a-lot; the woman however refused to believe the wondrous stories about the cat that Anders told. The two mages bonded over their hatred for the rite of tranquility, Anders became a father figure in Aisha's life, teaching her about magic and controlling her powers.

Then there was Sebastian. The prince treated Aisha with nothing but respect and he was valiant in a way that Aisha was not used to. He had his demons and his faults, as did everyone, but he was true to his convictions. And when he smiled, Aisha couldn't help but smile with him. She had never had any affection from her father; she had been abused and used, betrayed and sold. She deserved to be friends with someone like Sebastian, somebody who would never intentionally hurt her.

One day she and Sebastian were walking in high town. Hawke had dragged Isabela into another mission and Aisha found that she liked not having the pirate around to distract her. Having Isabela around meant a sweet sort of torture, always reminding Aisha of what she could never have.

"Are you an Andrastian?" Sebastian asked, waking Aisha from her musings.

"An Andrastian?" Aisha said in confusion, "no, I'm Rivaini."

"Surely there has been other Rivaini Andrastians, lady. There is even a Chantry in Rivain."

"Most Rivaini believe in the Qun," Aisha said quietly, "and a lot of us believe like me. That the divine is everywhere."

"I understand that you spent time in the chantry…" Sebastian began, threading carefully.

"Please Sebastian, I was a tranquil then. I had no feelings to search for a religion."

"I'm sorry; I can't imagine how difficult your life has been. But, please, if I may. Whether you were taught it or not, the Maker has room at His side for every soul. Even yours."

They stopped walking then and Sebastian turned towards her.

"Did you know I used to be like your friend? Before I went to the Chantry I used to be out all hours, drinking and whoring. I didn't believe in anything except my own pleasure."

"Isabela cares about other things. She cares about me."

Sebastian threw her a look.

"Here we are."

Aisha noticed that they were standing outside the Chantry.

"I want to show you something," he said, "would you let me?"

His smile was contagious; Aisha had to smile back at him. So she did, and then agreed.

Sebastian wanted for her to meet Grand Cleric Elthina. He wanted her to tell Aisha of her own childhood, and how faith in the Maker had helped her.

He guided Aisha up the stairs to the small podium where Elthina could always be found.

"Grand Cleric," he said, "this is the young mage I was telling you about."

Elthina smiled warmly and held out her hands for Aisha to grab.

"Come here child," the Grand Cleric looked briefly at the mark of tranquility that would always mark her forehead, "I am sorry if this was done to you without cause."

"I was sold," Aisha said without emotion.

"There are always people in high places with power who don't manage the responsibility that comes with it."

"Grand Cleric," Sebastian chimed in, "I was hoping that you could tell Aisha about your childhood and how you came to truly believe in the Maker."

"When I was young I didn't have faith," Elthina started, "I was taken in by the Chantry when my parents died of fever. I was so angry, angry at the Maker for letting my parents die, angry at my parents for dying..."

Aisha almost rolled her eyes. Sebastian made her smile, and she could tolerate him talking about religion. But this was too much; she didn't want to listen to whatever sob-story that had brought Elthina to her faith. Aisha had no intention of becoming an Andrastian; instead she found herself growing bored.

She needn't worry. The conversation soon drifted from Elthina to Sebastian and his faith. Aisha's mind also drifted from the Andrastians in front of her to a certain pirate. She remembered the last time they had been at the Chantry and Isabela had muttered under her breath "Smells like repression." Aisha suddenly noticed that Sebastian and Elthina had stopped talking and were looking at her. At the thought of Isabela's comment, Aisha had apparently giggled out loud.

"Sorry," she mumbled and looked down and listened as Sebastian and Elthina continued to talk.

"I just thought that it would be different!" Sebastian exclaimed, "Hawke killed the people who were responsible for my parents' death. I should feel like justice has been served."

"Death is never justice!" Elthina continued but then they were interrupted by quick footsteps. It was Hawke, followed by Isabela, Merrill, Varric and Aveline. Aisha couldn't help but smile at her friend and Isabela winked at her quickly.

…

Everybody was surprised when the red-haired woman appeared behind the newly slayed men. Her appearance struck a core within Aisha, but the mage couldn't place where she had seen her. Isabela could though.

"Leliana?"

The red-haired looked up with equal surprise.

"Isabela?" She said.

The pirate threw her head back and laughed.

"Sister Nightingale, indeed! I remember it didn't take much to make you sing."

Leliana (and Hawke) looked embarrassed, Merrill however looked as happy as ever.

"Oh, I like singing," she chimed, "were you to in a choir together?"

Aisha had to work very hard to keep herself from rolling her eyes.

Isabela smiled at her.

"Not exactly, kitten."

Then Leliana cast a look at Aisha, her eyes shone with recognition for a moment but then she turned to Hawke.

"Perhaps we should get back to the reason, I'm here."

An hour later Aisha, once again, was walking by Sebastian's side on their way to the Chantry.

"I'm going to talk with Elthina," he said to her, "do you think Hawke will be able to talk her into leaving?"

"No," Aisha said frankly, "I do not think she will abandon her post. The way she talked about her role, it means everything to her."

"You are probably right. I guess she wouldn't be a proper Grand Cleric if she wasn't like that."

"Isabela."

"Huh?" Isabela had paying attention to Aisha's and Sebastian's conversation and hadn't noticed that Merrill had tried to get her attention.

"What is it, kitten?"

"How do you do that?"

"Do what, kitten?"

"You sort of… swagger when you walk. I've been trying, but I trip over my own feet when I do it."

A soft giggle escaped Aisha, and Isabela turned around just in time to see that it had been a reaction to something Sebastian had said. The pirate sighed irritably, but then turned back to Merrill.

"You just strut. It's not something you practice."

"Aisha does it too," Merrill said, "how can I learn it, then?"

Isabela didn't want to think about Aisha, she wanted to think about happier things.

"It comes to you… usually at night. It's like a lover… or maybe a burglar. Either it ravishes you or runs off with all your jewelry. And you have to run it down and stab it in the heart."

She thought for a moment.

"And… that metaphor got a bit away from me, didn't it?"

"I think it did, but it was certainly exciting!"

Isabela had to chuckled at her friend's perpetual state of contentment. Then she faked a gag as Sebastian and Aisha joined up at them.

"All right, let's just get this over with."

"A duel?" Sebastian asked quickly and with a smile. He was good at reading the pirate.

"No," Isabela replied, "the sermon. The finger-wagging, the guilt-trips. Telling me how an unexamined life isn't worth living."

She was rewarded with a small smile from Aisha.

"I wasn't going to…"

But Isabela interrupted him.

"You weren't? You weren't going to tell me to comfort the needy and give freely of myself?"

Sebastian chuckled.

"From what I hear, you already give yourself quite freely," the prince thought that that would have coaxed another giggle from Aisha but the woman said nothing. She did not want to think of Isabela giving herself freely to anyone.

"Oooh," Isabela just replied, "you got me there."

Then there was no more time for carefree banter because they had arrived at the Chantry.


	10. Chapter 10 - The wounded and The blood M

Isabela didn't even know what was wrong with her. Her dalliances weren't giving her the usual satisfaction; instead she was feeling frustrated and more and more annoyed. With Aisha. With Sebastian. With everyone. Hawke was a goody-two-shoes, wanting to help _everyone _that came her way. Aveline was boring and meddlesome; Sebastian frigid. Fenris was… fun to tease. Merrill and Varric were the only people Isabela could bear right now.

The pirate was standing by her favourite place in the bar, gulping down whisky that was burning her throat just enough on the way down. She saw a handsome stranger eyeing her but she just rolled her eyes. _Not good enough. _She started looking for somebody else who could drown her sorrows better than drink. _Somebody young, female. With dark skin and black hair._

"Are you coming?"

"Huh?" Isabela hadn't noticed Hawke entering the tavern and starting to talk with her.

"Are you drunk?" The mage asked, "The others are outside. We are going back to the Deep Roads for the day, relocating two brothers."

"Are you daft?" Isabela replied, "no way I'm going down there again!"

Hawke shrugged, said it was fine and started saying something else but was suddenly interrupted by their comrades who had entered the tavern, looking for Hawke. It was Varric who had spoken.

"Are you coming or what?"

Hawke nodded and started turning around. Isabela stole a glance to the people behind her. It was Merrill, of course, Varric and also Sebastian, Aveline and then Aisha.

"Wait," Isabela finished her drink in one swift movement, "I'm coming."

…

The Deep Roads were what they had always been. Water dripping. Mold. The sound of little feet in the shadows. Spiders. How the dwarves could live there was beyond the pirate. She hated it; the lack of strong wind, no open sky or beckoning horizon.

"Ugh."

"What's wrong?" Aisha came to stand beside her as Hawke was discussing fervently with Sebastian and Aveline about where they were going to walk next. Isabela threw the mage a quick look. The girl was sporting a new piercing. It was similar to the one Isabela had on her chin, but Aisha had hers on the side of her nose. The girl looked different, alive; the smile on her lips could also be seen in her eyes. But then she put on a worried face and lightly touched her friend's arm.

"Really, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Isabela said slightly irritable and mindlessly scratched the part of her arm that Aisha had touched, "I just don't like having so much rock over my head."

Varric overheard her and laughed.

"Isabela," he said, "I thought that you of all people would be okay with _exploring Deep Roads_."

Isabela giggled and sighed, trying to feel more comfortable despite the place where they were.

"Yeah, you would think so, wouldn't you?" She said and noticed with amusement as something teasing flashed across Aisha's eyes.

"If you want to, I can hold your hand," the girl whispered and winked. Isabela had to chuckle.

"It is nice to see that you are yourself, sweet thing."

"Darkspawn!" It was Hawke's voice and sure enough, soon they were practically surrounded by genlocks and hurlocks.

Aisha, Merrill and Sebastian stayed in the background; Hawke was a mage but liked her opponents close in a fight and always wore heavy armor. Aisha tried to deliver her healing spells equally but couldn't help to keep an extra eye on Isabela. She also took the fight as an opportunity to practice some new fire spells. Then she suddenly heard heavy steps behind her. It was an ogre coming closer; Aisha didn't even have a chance to react it was coming towards her so fast, she simply closed her eyes preparing to die. She waited for the fatal blow.

It didn't come. Instead there was the sound of quick movement, a thud and then a gasp accompanied by the slick sound of claws tearing through flesh. "Isabela!" It was Merrill's voice, "Isabela, don't move! We're coming!" _Isabela?_

Aisha opened her eyes again. The ogre was dead, its throat slit finely, as with a dagger. Aisha's heart skipped a beat when she saw Isabela's body thrown to the side, her white tunic stained with blood around the midsection. All sounds drowned out as the mage started running. She pushed Merrill and Sebastian out of her way, not even hearing their protests as she sank to Isabela's side. She wanted to gag when she saw the deep cuts on Isabela's stomach; the blood flowing freely from the open wounds. Aisha tried to calm and not panic. She ripped off her bandana and pressed it against the wound, desperately trying to stop the blood flow. A hand touched hers.

"Aisha," _whose voice was that? "_Aisha, you are a mage. _Heal her." _Of course, stupid, stupid, stupid.

She tore her gloves of and flexed her fingers. She tried to focus, but the cuts were deep and she just couldn't concentrate. The damage was worse than she usually dealt with. Isabela's skin grew warm and the blood flow subsided a little but nowhere near enough. More power, Aisha needed more power. She saw Isabela's dagger lying on the ground. _More power. _Without thinking Aisha grabbed it and before anyone could stop her, she stabbed her hand. She gasped at the sudden sensation of power flowing through her in waves. Her eyes darkened and her thoughts became primal. _Blood. More power, good, enough power. _She had stopped thinking normally and instead put all her focus on the task at hand. She could hear the others shouting at her but couldn't make out what they were saying. It didn't matter anyway. Isabela was finally healing and that was all that mattered. _Blood magic is good. Good. It heals. It saves._

Isabela suddenly started breathing heavily and clutched her stomach. Her cuts were healed and all that was left now was her torn tunic and the stained white fabric; the skin underneath was completely intact. Aisha on the other hand had fallen to the ground, spent and exhausted.

Hawke raised her staff, almost preparing for Aisha to turn into an abomination but she felt no such vibes from her and a look from Merrill confirmed that Aisha was still Aisha.

Isabela sat up and groaned.

"Nothing like a near-death experience to get the blood pumping. Ugh, I need a drink." Then she noticed Aisha lying limp next to her. For a moment the pirate almost thought that her attack on the ogre had come too late and she grasped Aisha's hand, her own eyes filling with tears.

Sebastian came with quick steps and pushed her hand away.

"This is all your fault," he snapped, "because of you the poor girl took to blood magic." He lifted Aisha up, intending to carry her home. Isabela stood up again, not meeting the others' stares. It was clear to her now what had happened. She tried to act like she didn't care, reached for her dagger and wiped Aisha's blood of it as if it didn't matter. The white fabric of her tunic was already ruined anyway. Then she noticed Aisha's red bandana lying on the ground, also stained with blood. Isabela picked it up and tied it around her forearm.

"Hold still," she then said softly to Sebastian who had stared at her in disbelief and made a movement to start walking. With deft hands Isabela took off her own bandana and tied it around Aisha's dripping hand.

"There," she said, her voice almost void of any emotion. She could feel the others looking at her but she had nothing to say.

…

It was night. Aisha was still unconscious but safe on her bed at the Hanged Man. Merrill, bless her heart, had sat with her all day but when it was clear that Aisha was not going to turn into an abomination she had left. Everybody avoided the Rivaini women like the plague. Anders had stopped by briefly and given the pirate an earful. Everybody seemed to blame her, much to Isabela's annoyance. It wasn't her fault.

She had bought a bottle and was now sitting on her bed, drinking it and just watching Aisha sleep. All fibers in Isabela's body were screaming at her to leave, to find somewhere else to spend the night but she couldn't make herself go. Even she wasn't capable of such harshness, not when Aisha had put herself in danger to heal her.

The girl started stirring.

"Aisha?" Isabela said and Aisha nodded.

"I'm here, I'm alive," she groaned.

"Good, I was almost worried."

A strangled laugh escaped the girl.

"Ha, almost."

"Do you feel okay?"

Aisha sat up, rubbing her head with her palm.

"My head feels like it's about to be busted open and my hand feels…" she stopped talking when she saw Isabela's blue bandana tied around her hand, "oh… thank you. I'll wash it and return it to you. Have you seen mine?"

Isabela looked at the red bandana that was still tied around her forearm. She had washed the blood of it and then put it back there.

"Um, yeah. It is here. But you are not getting it back."

Aisha looked at her confused but then shook her head, not caring why Isabela wanted to keep it.

"Fine," she said.

"Well, I'm going to go," Isabela said and stood up, "I need a stiff one… and a drink."

Aisha rolled her eyes and laid back down. Her head was almost throbbing from the pain and she silently promised herself never to use blood magic again. She heard Isabela getting ready to leave, finding a new bandana and tying back her hair with it.

"Do you have to go?" She suddenly whispered but immediately clasped her hand over her mouth.

Isabela looked down on her.

"Mmmmm," she replied with laughter in her voice, "I need relaxation. I almost died today."

Aisha nodded but felt like crying. She didn't want to be alone and she didn't want Isabela to sleep with anyone else.

There was a knock on the door.

Aisha sat up and made sure her clothes were correct and then nodded. Isabela opened the door.

"Hello," it was Sebastian, "I just came to make sure you were okay." He cast an awkward look at Isabela and then put all his focus on Aisha.

"I'm fine," Aisha said and Isabela looked triumphant.

"See, no harm done, "the pirate said wanting Sebastian to leave because there was no way she was going to leave Aisha and Sebastian in the room together.

"Yeah, but no thanks to you," Sebastian said without even looking at her. But Aisha reacted to the words.

"People are blaming Isabela for me using blood magic?

"Don't worry your sweet head with that," Isabela replied and opened the door again, "and you are welcome to leave, choir boy."

"I don't think that is up you," Sebastian replied still not looking at her, "Aisha, I have come to ask if you would like me to find you better quarters, Elthina…"

"Oh stuff it," Isabela interrupted him, "she is not going anywhere and she is definitely not moving to the Chantry."

"Again," Sebastian had raised his voice, "I don't think that is up to you."

Aisha stood up, ignoring her protesting head which was still being plagued by the throbbing headache.

"Shut up the both of," she said tiredly and they both turned silent, "it is not up to either of you. Sebastian, I am not moving to the Chantry. I'm not an Andrastian, I'll never be an Andrastian. Isabela, stop smirking. This has nothing to do with you, I have no intention of staying in this smelling hell-hole with you forever and I am intending to move. But when I do it will be on my own terms and not through charity. Now, if you want to leave, leave otherwise stay. I am going to get myself something to eat."

Then she left the room, leaving a speechless Sebastian and Isabela behind her.


	11. Chapter 11 -The Confused and the Sweet

**Chapter 11 – The Confused and the Sweet thing**

Aisha started ignoring the pirate; it was just easier that way. Even Isabela enjoyed the silence and the lack of confusion that always arose in her whenever the mage was near. Aisha started ignoring Sebastian. She couldn't be bothered and she found him just as boring as Isabela did. Instead she started spending more and more time in Anders' clinic; helping him with the healing and learning more. She had had to swear of blood magic but that wasn't a problem. She wasn't intending to use it again. Anders was happy to have her as a student, especially since both Hawke and Merrill never wanted his advice.

It was afternoon and Aisha was slowly walking up the stairs from Dark Town to Low Town. It was late and it wasn't the safest place but since she had her magic she didn't really worried. She was simply walking, minding her own business. Then she heard a chuckle behind her. She froze for a moment but then recognized the voice.

"Isabela," she said simply and turned around; true enough, there was the pirate leaning with her back to the wall, "are you following me?"

"No. Doesn't mean that's a good thing though. There is trouble up ahead, sweet thing, some qunaris are fighting. I would stay away if I were you."

Aisha sighed and took two steps in Isabela's direction.

"Does this mean we can't get home?"

The pirate shrugged her shoulders.

"We could try, but I think we should probably wait until morning."

Aisha groaned. The girl was tired and her feet hurt and even though her bed at the Hanged Man wasn't the most comfortable of beds, it was home. And it was a bed.

"Come on, I know where we can go," the pirate said when she saw her tired expression. Since it was getting really dark Isabela simply grabbed Aisha's hand and led her through the night.

She took Aisha to a little house where she paid the woman by the front door a few silvers for the knight and then they went to a small room. Aisha rolled her eyes when she saw that the room only had one bed. When Isabela saw her reaction she snorted.

"No, this is not my plan to get you into bed," she said, "if you find my side so repulsive you are welcome to use the floor."

Aisha just shook her head, she was so tired and instead she removed her jewelry, her bandana and boots and laid down on the bed. She was soon followed by Isabela. They settled side by side under the same blanket, the bed more than big enough for the both of them.

"What were you doing out so late?" Aisha suddenly asked.

"Looking for you," was Isabela's frank answer, "I knew you had spent time at Anders' clinic and when I heard there was trouble I wanted to find you. Make sure you were safe."

"You always make sure I am safe," Aisha whispered, "you have ever since the first time I met you."

"Ha!" Isabela exclaimed, "hardly. The first time I met you you were just an annoying brat. I hated your guts."

"Still," Aisha continued, "you saved me from being tranquil. You got slashed by an ogre for me and now you come and find me in the night because you heard there might be trouble."

"Oh please shush. You make me sound so…"

"Isabela," Aisha interrupted, "are we still going to find a boat and leave?"

"Of course, sweetness," Isabela's reply was sleepy now, "why would we stay longer in this shit hole than we must? No, one day we are going to sail into the horizon."

"I don't know anything about sailing," Aisha replied softly, "I'm not sure if I will be much help."

Isabela giggled softly, the sweet sound causing knots to form in the pit of Aisha's stomach.

"The ship is the best teacher," the pirate said, "she will guide you with her sighs… her shudders, her gentle swaying as she rides the crests of the waves."

Aisha swallowed; her mouth suddenly dry. She cursed the effect that Isabela still had on her. It was no use acting like a silly girl around the pirate; she had seen other girls act the same way and always pitied them. And here she was, pining for the woman herself. This would not do. Aisha was better than this, stronger than this.

Isabela looked at her, realizing almost immediately what was passing through the head of the mage. She felt bad then, bad that she had used her usual banter and that it had had an effect on Aisha. The pirate sighed.

"Oh you poor sweet thing," she said softly and patted Aisha's hair but Aisha pushed her hand away.

"Don't say that," she whispered irritably, "and please don't touch me."

Then she turned to her side giving Isabela her back. Isabela didn't move, her hand still raised in the air.

"And stop being mean to Sebastian," Aisha continued, "your misplaced jealousy is not his problem."

Isabela sat up.

"What do you mean my _misplaced jealousy? _I'm not jealous of anyone and especially not of Choir Boy."

Aisha laughed.

"Oh really?" she said, "either you are trying to fool me or you are fooling yourself, I don't know which is more pathetic."

"I don't care who pops your popcorn sweet thing, as long as no one harms you."

Aisha sat up as well, and turned to face Isabela.

"You don't care who _pops my popcorn, _do you?" She said in a mocking tone, "you don't care that somebody other than you touches my skin," she trailed her fingers across her shoulder, "and you don't care who gets to kiss my neck," she let her fingers trace her collar bone and up her neck and smiled inwardly as she saw that the pirate was following her hand with her eyes. Aisha hadn't dared to hope but since Isabela behavior had been so odd, especially around Sebastian Aisha had started to suspect that Isabela was not as unaffected by her as she pretended.

"And most of all," she said, "you don't care at all who gets to kiss me, do you?"

It was Isabela's turn to swallow.

"Jealousy is stupid," the pirate tried but there was no jest in her tone, "who needs it? Surely you have never felt it."

"Of course I have felt it," Aisha had now raised her voice and felt that she was almost screaming, "you have broken my heart over and over since you slept with that elf Zevran. But you know what? Since you seem to not care maybe I will go and find somebody to _pop my popcorn. _I'm pretty, I know that, shouldn't be too difficult to find."

Isabela didn't want to have this conversation. She did feel bad about leaving Aisha alone all those years ago but the pirate had never thought that Aisha had actually been jealous. Why would she? They had had fun; that was all, right? It hadn't meant more than that. It couldn't have. It shouldn't have had.

"Just keep your wits about you," she replied quickly, "to most men you are nothing but tits and arse."

"And on that note I'm going to sleep," Aisha said irritably and closed her eyes, lying back then. She was quiet for a few minutes but then she added, "good night… Naishe." She had by now understood that Isabela didn't like the sound of her old name. Isabela however just chuckled at Aisha's remark, the pirate just happy that they were no longer fighting.

"Good night, sweet thing."


	12. Chapter 12 - The thief and The confidant

**Chapter 12 – The thief and The confidante**

The next day they simply left, Isabela went to one of the bathhouses desperate for a bath and Aisha walked up to High Town thinking of paying Hawke and Merrill a visit. It had been nice sleeping next to the pirate but Aisha had to remind herself that she mustn't like it too much. It would only give her heart ache. Then to her delight she saw Sebastian also climbing the steps up to High Town.

"Sebastian," she yelled and ran to catch up with him, he turned around and smiled at her.

"Lady," he said, "I came looking for you at the Hanged Man but no one was there. I got worried after I heard about the Qunari fights yesterday. I trust you are well?"

"It was sweet of you to worry," Aisha said and hooked her arm on his, "but I was very well. Isabela came and told me and we spent the night in Dark Town. Are you going to Hawke's, I was thinking…"

"She made you spend the night in Dark Town?"

The girl rolled her eyes.

"She didn't make me do anything; I agreed that since we couldn't go back home it was the best. Don't worry, it was perfectly safe. And if it wasn't, we are hardly incapable of defending ourselves."

"Still," Sebastian said softly, "I don't think Dark Town is a place for…"

Aisha suddenly felt so tired of Sebastian and his monarch ways. The way he was a stuck-up coir boy, like Isabela and Varric called him.

"It is no place for me?" She snapped, "I'm a Rivaini in Kirkwall, why should I live any better than the Fereldens that live down there?"

Sebastian looked like he didn't know what to say and Aisha just shook her head and removed her arm from his.

"Let's go," she said and then they walked in silence.

…

Hawke was preparing to go out when they arrived. Merrill was standing next to her; with a hand on her shoulder while Hawke was putting on her boots. They looked up when Sebastian and Aisha walked through the door.

"Oh hello," Merrill smiled at them and Aisha smiled back.

"What is happening?" Sebastian asked, "new mission?"

"Not really," Hawke replied, "Aveline came by, asked me to talk with Emeric. He is stirring up trouble with all his questions."

"I thought the Qunari were a bigger threat?" Aisha asked.

Hawke sighed.

"Hawke this, Hawke that," the mage said, "the Qunari aren't my problem either, but yeah, I thought so too. But Aveline thought this needed my attention first. Want to come with us?"

They found Emeric down in the gallows as usual, he told them that his search for the dead women had actually given him a name, Gascard DuPuis, and he wanted Hawke and the others to go to DuPuis' estate in High Town to look for any sort of evidence linking him with the murders on any of the women.

They were about to go there when Isabela came running.

"Isabela," Hawke said, "joining us now are you? We are looking into the murders of fair maidens."

"Fair maidens might be my kind of thing," Isabela said quickly, "but murders are not. Aisha, come home."

Aisha crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow in the pirate's direction.

"You have no right to tell me what to do," she said darkly and put her chin in the air like a stubborn child.

"I know I don't sweetness," Isabela replied softly, "but I really think you should. I need to tell you something."

Hawke looked at the two Rivaini women and then rolled her eyes.

"Come on, Aisha," she said, "just go. We'll be fine without you and Isabela is stubborn like a mule. You might as well do as you're asked."

Aisha nodded grudgingly.

…

"What is it?" They were back in their room at the Hanged Man; Aisha was sitting down on her bed whereas the pirate was pacing back and forth. When she didn't answer, Aisha tried again.

"What's going on?" No answer, just Isabela walking back and forth looking for an answer to give to her friend.

Eventually Aisha got tired with the silence and constant movement and got up and forced Isabela to a halt with a hold on both of Isabela's forearms. She made her stop and then forced the pirate to look at her.

"Isabela! Stop it. What's going on?" It was worrying the girl now as Isabela almost never seemed to worry about anything. She looked upon life with a devil-may-care attitude but there was a fear now in her eyes.

"Look," Isabela finally said and looked down, "I'm going to tell you something but you must promise me you are not going to go running to Hawke, or Choir boy, or Big girl or anyone, okay? Not even… Merrill or Varric. No one, do you understand?"

Aisha inhaled deeply, not liking where this was going.

"What did you do?" She asked then.

"You know the relic I have been searching for for years?"

"Yeah…."

"It may have once belonged to the Qunari."

"_The… the Qunari?"_

"Yeah. I've always known what the relic was. It's a book, by… ugh, doesn't matter who wrote the bloody thing. I didn't actually steal it _from _the Qunari. The Orlesians had it, were going to give it back, I simply took it before they had a chance to meet with the Arishok. Oh, don't look at me like that. Getting the relic was easy; it was getting away from the Arishok that was difficult."

Aisha had figured it out.

"Is it your fault that the Qunari are still here?"

"Well… the relic belongs to the Qunari and there is a small chance they want it back, both the Qunari and myself were stranded here when we fought and all of us got shipwrecked, I lost half of my crew."

"_Naishe!"_

Isabela looked irritated for a moment.

"Don't call me that, and saying that it is my fault is a little bit strong, is it not? I never meant for any of this to happen."

"Why are you telling me?"

"Because I'm so close to getting the relic back I can feel it, and when I do… I'm leaving Kirkwall."

"… after you hand over the relic to the Arishok?"

"Aisha," Isabela sat down on the bed next to Aisha and closed her eyes, "if I don't give the relic to Castillon, he is going to kill me."

"And if you don't give it to the Qunari they are going to kill everyone else! Isabela, I can't believe what you are saying!"

"Look this is who I am," Isabela still kept her voice soft even though Aisha had resorted to almost yelling, "I'm sorry if I disappoint you sweet thing, but I can't be anything else. I'm going to go to Hawke, ask her for help and as soon as I get the relic, I'm leaving. I am telling you to give you a chance to come with me."

Aisha looked at Isabela like she couldn't believe her ears.

"If piracy means betraying ones friends, I think that I will stay right here."

"Whatever floats your boat," Isabela muttered. She actually felt sad at the thought of leaving without Aisha but was thoroughly convinced that she had no other option.

"So you are leaving?" Aisha asked, almost whispering.

Isabela nodded. The mage took a moment of simply looking at her friend; her closed eyelids, her bronze skin, her full lips. _Her lips._ _Naishe, _the girl thought to herself, _if this is one of the last times I get to see you… _Without thinking the girl put both her hands on either side of Isabela's face and pulled her closer, finally planting her lips on the pirate's.


	13. Chapter 13 - The Lover and The Beloved

Isabela tensed up at first but then relaxed and reciprocated. It was strange, because even though Isabela reciprocated she didn't take the lead. Aisha wondered what was going on inside the pirate but didn't have presence to stop and ask. She carefully ran her tongue along Isabela's bottom lip and felt the hairs on her neck when Isabela opened her mouth and allowed her access. Aisha couldn't help but moan at the intimate situation. She reached up and put her arm around Isabela's neck wanting to pull her closer but barely daring too. Isabela was hardly moving at all and the mage got more and more worried that this wasn't something that Isabela wanted at all. She got even more worried when she noticed that the pirate was trembling. She pulled back.

"Isabela?"

Isabela's eyes were closed; Aisha went on instinct and kissed her eyelids, her eyebrows, her nose and her cheeks. Isabela shuddered a little at the touch which made Isabela even more worried. What was wrong with her pirate? Of what she could remember of the last time they had gone to bed together Isabela was very active in bed… not like this. The mage put her legs on either side of Isabela's lap until she was straddling the pirate. Then she reached forward and carefully took the pirate's necklace off. Isabela's breathing was strained but she had still not moved; when Aisha bent down and started kissing the sensitive skin around her neck Isabela sighed and put her hands on Aisha's waist.

"Say something," Aisha tried again.

"What do you want me to say?" Isabela said, her voice was husky and when she opened her eyes to meet Aisha's gaze, her eyes were a darker shade than usual. _I could drown in her eyes, _Aisha thought to herself.

"Tell me you love me," Aisha said and held her breath.

"What!" Isabela tried to push the girl of but Aisha stayed.

"Tell me you love me," she said again and after that leaned forward and kissed her pirate's collarbone. Then, without waiting for Isabela to answer, she captured her lips and kissed her deeply. Isabela's hands dug deeper, almost painfully into Aisha's waist which made Aisha let go off her lips and yelp in pain.

Isabela smirked and a spark lit in her eyes.

"Don't play if you can't take the game," she purred and before Aisha could react Isabela had flipped her on her back. The pirate then quickly undid the straps on Aisha's tunic and with minimal help from Aisha pulled it off, then she pulled Aisha's boot and trousers off too. Aisha felt a bit self-conscious then, all naked, and put her arms up, feeling slightly exposed. Isabela saw her expression and smiled gently.

"Don't look so scared, sweetness," she cooed, "you look beautiful."

She pulled the straps of her own tunic and then pulled it over her head. Aisha pushed her gently.

"Your boots as well," she said pleadingly. _And your underwear too, _she added in her head but didn't say. She didn't have to. Soon Isabela was completely naked as well.

Aisha's heart was hammering in her chest and all bravery had disappeared. As active as she had been in the beginning she now found herself nervous and eager, but mostly nervous and she was unsure of what she should do. She didn't need to worry. Isabela knew what to do.

She pulled Aisha up and onto her lap once more, pulled her bandana off and grabbed the girl's hair as she pulled her in for another kiss. Aisha groaned as Isabela's hand went to hold a firm grip on her breast.

"Isabela," she gasped, "I… I need…"

Isabela grinned, loving the fact that she was once more on top. At least figuratively.

"I know what you need," she whispered and let her tongue trace the outline of Aisha's ear, "don't worry so much."

Aisha chuckled at Isabela's smug tone and let herself fall to the side until she was once more lying on the bed, then she pulled the pirate to her. On top of her.

The pirate smiled and closed her eyes as one of her own legs settled between the thighs of the mage. Aisha saw Isabela's smug grin and couldn't help but to mess with her a little bit.

"You know what I need, huh?" She said.

"You know I do, sweet thing."

Aisha kissed her nose and felt a needy throb deep in her core when she felt just how wet Isabela was.

"Do you now," Aisha continued in a teasing tone, "but do you know what you need?" A confused wrinkle formed between the eyes of the pirate but Aisha didn't let her wonder too much about it. Instead she reached down with one of her hands to cup the pirate intimately and in the same time she pushed her thigh up. She smiled from satisfaction when Isabela answered by sighing pleasurably and rocking into her.

"So slippery…" Aisha whispered and marveled at the feeling. She carefully searched for Isabela's opening, wanting to have her fingers completely imbedded.

"Don't," Isabela suddenly said; her voice low.

"Why?" Aisha said, confused but the pirate only shook her head and pulled Aisha's hand up. She kissed the girl's wrist quickly and then held it above the girl's head. Then she let her own hand wandered southward and Aisha hissed when Isabela stroked her carefully.

"Tell me if it hurts," Isabela whispered and when Aisha quietly answered yes, the pirate let her middle finger enter the girl. The pirate knew that Aisha had had many negative experiences concerning sex and didn't want to scare or hurt the girl in any way. She let go of Aisha's hand that she had been holding over her head and hummed happily as Aisha responded by putting both her arms around Isabela's neck and holding her close.

It did hurt a little when Isabela started moving. Aisha was no virgin but sex had always hurt and it had made her very sensitive. It hurt but it also felt so good and Aisha felt herself climbing toward climax quickly. She felt desperate for more of Isabela and bit down on her shoulder and put one of her legs on the pirate's back.

"Isabela," she moaned.

Isabela groaned and started sucking on Aisha's neck. Aisha moaned her name again. Something about it bothered the pirate, she wasn't… _Isabela _with Aisha. Not right now. No. The pirate felt herself climbing too. She added another finger and moved even faster wanting to have Aisha completely melt in her arms. She felt Aisha running her nails across her back and groaned at the sensation of sweet pain.

"Call me Naishe," the pirate said and looked deep into the mage's eyes.

"Naishe," Aisha whispered, and then she whispered it again and again. Whimpered it, moaned it, yelled it. The mage found herself dangling dangerously close to that precipice, she found herself going a place where word were redundant and she could only feel and before she knew it Isabela had pushed her over the edge. As climax hit her, everything got too much and Aisha found herself lashing out towards the Fade, the mage panicked and retreated causing an overload of power; fire shot out of her fingertips but luckily only struck a chair which was knocked over and set ablaze.

Isabela barely noticed what was happening; she was too caught up in the intense feeling of Aisha shuddering underneath. The pirate had fought against her feelings for the mage, knowing that when Aisha touched her, _she touched her. _It was more than skin-deep.

Afterwards Isabela removed her hand and Aisha groaned a little bit at the sudden emptiness. She didn't think she would ever not feel Isabela inside her now; and she didn't want to forget, not ever.

"I know I'm good," Isabela said with a sly grin and settled next to Aisha, pulling the blanket to cover their naked forms, "but, sweet thing, I've never had a mage lose control of her powers before."

Aisha giggled softly and traced Isabela's collar bone with her fingers.

"Oh, lots of experience with mages I take it?"

"Loads," Isabela grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles, "hey, this doesn't mean…"

"Don't even try," Aisha interrupted me, "even if you never sleep with me again it doesn't change the fact that you love me."

"Love!" Isabela exclaimed and sat up, annoyed with the girl's stubbornness, "look, I care for you. But love is not for me and I. do. not. love you."

Aisha shrugged her shoulders.

"Okay," she said and sighed pleasurably. Aisha didn't know if it was the fact that she was a mage who had been a tranquil, she was just irrevocably sure that Isabela loved her. She knew it instinctively. It didn't matter if Isabela admitted it or not. Nothing could make it untrue.


	14. Chapter 14 - The drinker and The inquire

**Chapter 14 – The Drinker and The inquirer **

Isabela knew that she usually didn't sleep with the people she *slept* with but she couldn't make herself leave. Aisha fell asleep next to her and Isabela just stayed awake listening to her breathing. They scared her, the feelings she felt. _I don't love her, _she thought to herself. Aisha twitched in her sleep and lashed out with one her arms, almost hitting Isabela in the head. But Isabela caught her arm, chuckled softly and just folded her arm down with her own arm, spooning the mage in the process. She hoped that it wasn't a nightmare that was plaguing the girl who was now muttering something in her sleep.

"No," Aisha muttered, "please, don't, don't, don't, don't." In the same time she started kicking with her feet and hitting with her arms attempting to get away from whatever was plaguing her in her dream. Isabela held her and tried to calm her.

"Sweetheart," she whispered and held her close, "you're okay; you're safe."

…

Aisha woke up safely tucked practically underneath Isabela who had an arm around her shoulders and a leg over her hip. They were still both naked and Aisha couldn't help but feel happier than she had in a long time. She was wrapped up in the arms of the woman she loved after a night of lovemaking, it couldn't get much better. She smiled and kissed Isabela on the juncture of her elbow and then she tried to carefully pry her way from underneath the pirate.

Isabela moaned in her sleep and simply shifted her position, pulling the blanket possessively tighter to her chest. Aisha watched her as she quietly put her clothes on. Then before leaving the room she bent down, pressed a quick kiss to her forehead.

"I love you," she whispered under her breath and then she left the Hanged Man.

"Aisha," Anders said through gritted teeth. He was tired, in a bad mood and he didn't even manage a smile at his friend.

"What is wrong?" She asked as she quickly ran forward and helped Anders lower an old woman down on a cot, "is everything alright?"

"Templars have been dogging at my heel," Anders said in a low voice, "sorry, I didn't mean for it to sour my mood so much. What can I do for you?"

Aisha walked forward until she was standing closer to him.

"I need to ask you a question," she said, "about… um… about sex. I hope that that is okay."

Anders immediately looked uncomfortable.

"Umm, umm," he stuttered, "I'm sure that there are better people to ask about… um, those type of things. I mean, even your pirate friend would be better."

At the mentioning of Isabela, Aisha couldn't help but smile and felt her cheeks grow a bit warmer.

"No," she said, "I need to talk with you."

"Okay," he sighed, "just come here." He pulled her arm further into the clinic. "What's on your mind?"

"When you have sex," Aisha said in a low voice, not wanting the people in the clinic to hear, "do you ever… um… almost reach out to the Fade?"

Anders looked at her surprised.

"No, that is not a common occurrence," Anders said, "did… has something happened?"

Aisha had the decency to blush.

"No, I," she swallowed, "yes. I lost control over my powers… during…"

"During…?" Anders asked.

"During… sex," Aisha eventually admitted.

Anders couldn't help but have a spike in curiosity.

"Sebastian?" he asked, Aisha's cheeks got even redder and she shook her head.

"Isabela," she whispered. Anders suddenly got something in his throat and started coughing violently.

"Isa… _cough_.. Isabela?!" he exclaimed, "Aisha, are you sure that was wise?"

Aisha shrugged her shoulders.

"I really couldn't care less whether it was wise or not," she said and looked boldly at Anders, "I love her. I have always loved her. But as we were… _close_… yesterday I lost control of my powers. I wonder if it has to do with…" she couldn't bring herself to say it so just reached up and lightly touched the mark of tranquility that she would always carry on her forehead.

Anders sighed again, decided to leave the lecture for another time.

"It is probably related," he said, "but it's not unheard of, I…"

That is when they were interrupted by Hawke.

"Wow," she said in a teasing voice, "Isabela must be good."

Aisha turned around, not even surprised to see the other mage there.

"You know it," she said and winked, then chuckled at how uncomfortable Anders looked.

"Don't worry, Anders," Hawke said, "I got this. It hasn't happened to me since I was very young, but you should probably train it to go away. You and Anders used to do control exercises, right?"

Aisha nodded.

"Good," Hawke said, "continue them. Also, tell Isabela that practice make perfect."

"So," Aisha asked, "it's not dangerous for me… to, well, you know?"

"It is not good for you to lose control," Ander's said, "but if you keep practicing staying in control and keep your emotions in check, there is no reason why…"

"Why you shouldn't find relief from time to time," Hawke filled in with a chuckle, but then she turned to Anders, "you wanted to speak to me?"

Anders looked relieved that the other conversation was over.

"Yes," he said and started pacing in his normal stressed way, "there is something going on in the city. I've been watching and every day there are new tranquil."

At the mentioning of tranquils Aisha looked up. For some reason she didn't feel the painful bond to the plight of the mages that Anders did. She was Rivaini after all, she had no link to the chantry and she shared Isabela's feelings about loyalty for her fellow man. She didn't like the rite of tranquility and she didn't wish it on anyone, but other than that, she didn't care terribly. Not like Hawke and Anders.

"So what do you propose we do?" Aisha barely registered Hawke asking Anders.

Instead her thoughts drifted back to Isabela as the mages kept talking. Willingly her mind driftied to her pirate still naked under that blanket, Aisha started playing with the thought of once more joining her.

Then she remembered what Isabela had told her the other day. The former tranquil decided not to tell Hawke and the others about the relic and the qunari. She couldn't betray her pirate in such a way, not with the way she had confided in her.

"I think," she interrupted the others talking, "I should go."

But they were so into their conversation that they didn't even notice that she had spoken. Aisha just shrugged her shoulders and left them.

…

Isabela had woken up, gotten dressed and made her way to the main room where she had ordered a drink. She was now standing by her favourite spot, gulping down the horrible whisky that they served at the Hanged Man. Suddenly a very nice looking man caught her eye, Isabela smiled and downed the last of her drink, thinking of striking up a conversation. But then Aisha entered the Hanged Man and without knowing why the sight of the little woman made Isabela smile. The man forgotten she smiled as Aisha returned her smile and went up to her.

"Already drinking?" Aisha asked, she took a whiff of the alcohol and cringed, "seriously, Isabela, how do you stand the drink. It smells horrendous."

"Drink enough, sweetness," Isabela answered, "and standing will be the last of your worries."

"Fair enough," Aisha said, "so, are you going to offer me a drink?"

Isabela laughed.

"I'd like to," she said with a chuckle, "but it's awfully bad for you. I wouldn't want to corrupt you."

Aisha flashed a somewhat wicked grin and leaned forward to whisper in the pirate's ear.

"I think it's too late for that." Her breath was hot against Isabela's ear and the pirate had to admit that she was not unaffected. At least to herself, but not to Aisha; instead Isabela simply pushed her playfully away.

"A drink for my friend," she said and lifted her hand towards the barman.

Another cup with some strong liquid was placed in front of Aisha, who gripped it with both hands and brought it towards her lips. Before she managed to take a careful sip Merrill burst through the door of the Hanged Man.

"Isabel… Isabela," she gasped, a little bit out of breath from running, "_Hawke's mother has been taken_!"


	15. Chapter 15 - All that remains

**Sorry for the late update. First I was busy, then I had writer's block and then mass effect occupied my brain. I hope to update more frequently from now.**

**Also, Carver - it occured to me that I hadn't mentioned either him or Bethany in my whole story, so I've decided to say that he simply died in the deep roads.**

**Anyway, happy reading!**

* * *

**Chapter 15 – All that remains**

Aisha and Isabela immediately left the Hanged Man and followed Merrill. The elf was pacing and muttering to herself.

"This is where she was supposed to be. Why didn't she wait?"

"Merrill," Isabela tried to get her attention as they were running, "what has happened? Where is Hawke?"

"Gamlen came to our house and said that Leandra hadn't come like she said she would," Merrill replied without looking back as she started running, the others following her, "Marian went looking for her, but couldn't find her and now we think that the killer has her."

"What killer?" Aisha yelled back.

…

They followed Merrill down to the underground where they met up with Aveline, Hawke and Anders. Isabela had never seen Hawke so scared. Her eyes were big and wet and even though her movements were still made with percission, there was a slight trembling to each step. There was no mistake, Hawke was terrified and now that they had gone underground, she kept calling "mother" every few minutes. She had not even greeted the rivainis but smiled thankfully at Merrill who had quickly joined her lover's side.

After a little while they came to a big room that had two bokcases, a rug and a big portrait over a firewall. The group slowly approached the portrait.

"What... what is this?" Hawke asked, her voice shaky. Aveline sighed and then spoke up.

"The woman in the portrait looks like Leandra, doesn't she?"

"A shrine dedicated to a wife? A sister?" Anders' asked and turned to the others.

"I need to find her," Hawke said in a stern voice, "now!"

"I have a bad feeling about this," Isabela whispered to Aisha, "stay close, okay?"

Aisha nodded and swallowed back tears, praying that Hawke's mother would be okay. She hadn't spent much time with Leandra, but by what she had heard, the eldest Hawke was nothing but grace and kindness. Suddenly several rage demons rose from the ground, warranting everyone's attention, however with all the rage and fear that Hawke was carrying inside they were soon defeated and the group could move forward.

They went down a couple of stairs and around a corner. There was a man there, standing over a chair; when the group arrived with Hawke in front, he looked up.

"I was wondering when you'd show up, Leandra was so sure you'd come for her," he said.

"Where is she?" Hawke demanded and the man smiled cruelly.

"You will never understand my purpose," he said with force and took a few steps towards them, "your mother was chosen because she was special and now she is part of something... _greater."_ He had kept walking and was now standing right in front of her. Merrill had cluthed Hawke's hand in order to provide some grounding and comfort, whereas Isabela had held out her arm and protectively tried to push Aisha behind her.

"Spare me the demented rambling," Hawke said threateningly, "_where_ is she?!"

The man continued smiling as if Hawke had said something funny.

"But my dear girl," he said mockingly, "she's here. She is waiting for you. I have done the impossible. I have touched the face of the maker and lived."

Hawke just shook her head. _The man is insane,_she thought; but he had not finished talking.

"Do you know what the strongest force in the universe is?" He asked but did not wait for her to answer, "_love._ I pieced her together from memory. I found her eyes, her skin, her delicate fingers. And at last, her face... _oh_, this beautiful face."

The white-clad creature which had been sitting on the chair the whole time, stood up and turned slowly around; all while the man continued his insane discourse.

"I've searched far and wide to find you again, beloved and no force on this earth will part us."

The creature turned around, causing the group to gasp and Aisha actually let a scream leave her. What a horrid sight! It was a woman, clad in white and wearing a bridal veil. It was Leandra's face, but not her body and not her eyes. She staggered forward, an unholy abomination, a creature forged from the delirium and foolishness of one insane man. The man in question, wasted no time, conjuring a force field around himself and his creation and then calling forth walking skeletons, sloth and rage demons.

Hawke saw red, all she did was raise her staff, yell a war cry and before she knew it she was running towards that despicable man who did not deserve to call himself a human being and with a flash of pure force she knocked him to the ground and tore his head from between his shoulders. As the man died, most of the abominations and demons he had called simply disappeared back into the ground or walls and the few that were left were no match for the experienced fighters that stood by Hawke. After the last skeleton was put back to rest, the room grew silent as the group watched the creature with Leandra's face stagger towards Hawke.

"Mother!" Hawke cried and caught her as the creature fell to the ground; Hawke sat down and pulled the body close, with Leandra's head in her lap, "do something!" The upset mage yelled back to her companions. Merill and Anders shared a look. Eventually Merrill stepped closer.

"His magic was keeping her alive," the elf said, "there is nothing any of us can do."

Hawke ignored him and kept staring at her mother's face.

"I knew you would come," Leandra said and smiled.

"Don't move, mother," Hawke replied in a soft voice, "we'll find a way to..."

"Shh," Leandra interuppted her, "don't fret, my darling. That man would have kept me trapped in here. But now... I'm free. I get to see Bethany, Carver... and your father. But you'll be here alone."

"I'll be fine, mother," Hawke replied even though she sounded anything but fine. She didn't want her mother to worry.

"My little girl has become so strong," Leandra continued, "I love you. You've always made me so proud." Leandra gave her daughter one last smile and then she tilted her head backwards and simply died.

Nobody moved for a few minutes, they didn't know what to do. How to provide comfort when something so completely and utterly horrible had happened. Hawke clutched her mother's body and started sobbing and crying.

Anders eventually stepped forward, wanting to ease his friend's pain.

"I know there is nothing I can say to make it better, but you are lucky to have her as long as you did, when..." Isabela pulled him backwards.

"What is wrong with you, you insensitive goose," she whispered violently, "this is hardly the time to make her feel better. And especially not in your idiotic way."

She let go of the mage when she felt little hands grip her arms; it was Aisha, looking pale despite her dark skin tone and her eyes big and worried. Isabela pushed Anders away and instead put her arm around Aisha and pulled her close. Apparently the whole situation was very upsetting to her.

Merrill fell to Hawke's side and put her head on the mage's shoulder.

"Ir abelas, ma'vinan," she whispered, "Leandra's is in a better place now. You saved her my love. Now... we have to go."

It took both Aveline and Isabela to get Hawke to let go of the body and be pulled to her feet, she was crying, screaming; didn't want to go. But surely they made their way back to dark town, and then through low town, all the way to high town and Hawke's estate where Aveline closed to carried Hawke up the stairs and then into her bed. Merrill went with them, not wanting to leave her lover's side but the rest of the group waited awkwardly downstairs; Anders informing both Bodhan and Gamlen what had happened and then Isabela stopping Gamlen by force when he wanted to run up to talk to his niece.

Aisha was still trembling and had sat down in the corner on the floor, otherwise it felt like her legs were going to buckle under her. It had been a mage that had done that to Leandra and Aisha couldn't help but feel like a ticking bomb. Even Anders, who was genuinly a calm and gentle person, had been corrupted by a spirit of vengence... and then there were abominations. Maybe it was better to have mages locked up or even make them tranquil than to have these dangerous people running around freely. Aisha touched her mark of tranquility and shuddered. Maybe it would have been better for Isabela to just have left her tranquil.

"Ashia!" Isabela's voice woke Aisha up from her near delirium, "are you okay?" The pirate extended a hand for the girl to grab and Aisha took it and staggered to her feet. She however refused to meet Isabela's gaze. _I could kill her, _Aisha thought to herself, _her strenght and speed doesn't match up to the horrid beast I have that is living inside of me. _She felt nauseous and every time she closed her eyes all she saw was Leandra's face. She looked pleadingly at Isabela.

"Can we go home please?" She asked.

"If that is what you want," Isabela answered, "there doesn't seem to be much for us to do here anyhow." They said good bye to Anders who said he would stay for a while and then the women went back to the Hanged Man.

…

"What is up with you?" the pirate asked Aisha as the mage walked into their room and threw herself on the bed.

"We're all doomed, aren't we?" She whispered with tears glistening in her eyes.

"Not more now than we ever were," Isabela answered cheerfully and stretched her muscles.

Aisha sat up.

"Not us, Naishe," she snapped, "me and my... kin or whatever. Us. Mages. We should all be killed or be made tranquil."

Isabela sighed at the usage of her birth name but didn't mention it when her friend was clearly upset.

"Don't be stupid," she said instead, "you're not an abomination waiting to happen, you're stronger than that."

"How can you be so sure?" Aisha asked, "Even Anders is practically an abomination and is not in control all the time... and you saw what happened to Hawke's mom. We... are... dangerous."

"Sweet thing," Isabela said carefully, "it is not about being dangerous or not, everyone should be free. Not just the mages, nobody should have choices made for them just because of the way they were born."

Aisha didn't seem convinced so Isabela pressed on.

"It's not only mages that can turn into abominations," she said, "and I know that you know what I mean. It is not only mages that can let greed, jealousy or anger turn them into a monster or let their emotions get in control of them."

Aisha was still not convinced but her breathing returned to calm and she no longer felt like she was going to throw up. She wiped her tears and nodded at the pirate to show that she had been listening.

"Are you done, then?" Isabela said, sounding bored, "good, I need a drink." Then the pirate left the room.


	16. Chapter 16 - To catch a thief

**Chapter 16 – To catch a thief**

"I'm going to ask Hawke for help," Isabela said one morning, a week later, as they were having a lunch consisting of a hard piece of stale bread and dried meat. They were sitting by the docks, looking at the sea, both of them wondering when they were going to be able to leave.

"Are you telling her everything?" Aisha looked at Isabela, curious to see how selfish her friend could actually be.

"Not yet," Isabela admitted, "want to come with me?"

…

Aisha stood by looking pained as Isabela and Aveline bickered. Their usual friendliness all chased away by the stressfulness of their respective situations. When Hawke came running through her front door, the young mage took a sigh of relief unsure what she should do if her friends actually engaged in combat.

"Are there any good seats left?" Hawke said in an attempt to lighten the mood. She was still not over her mother's death, but she had gotten better and most of the time she had her usual brave front up. Aveline didn't waste any time.

"Hawke," she said, abandoned Isabela and walked forward, "the arishok is sheltering two fugitives that have _converted_ to the Qun. He must be convinced to release them. I need your help before this gets out of hand."

Aisha saw panic fleet across Isabela's face as the pirate darted forward.

"I'm going to die!" She exclaimed, "there. That got your attention. Real problem."

Hawke looked tired for a moment.

"I heard Arishok and die," she said, "what is this about?"

"Remember the relic," Isabela continued before Aveline had a chance to talk, "the one Castillion is going to kill me over? A man called Wall-eyed Sam has it. If you help me get it, Castillion won't kill me... please." Hawke looked surprised at Isabela's pleading tone and Aisha found herself worrying. If her brave and uncaring Isabela was worried, that meant that this was actually serious. But Aveline was not having it.

"I'm trying to keep the entire city from riveting against the Qunari," she said in a stern voice causing Isabela to look down in the floor.

"Well," she said, "maybe it is connected." The pirate threw a quick look at Aisha who gave her an encouraging smile.

"What?!" Aveline answered.

"I'm just saying, maybe it will help," Isabela tried, "it is important to someone, right?"

Aveline rolled her eyes.

"Now you start being responsible? Shit."

Hawke looked questioningly at Aisha and Aisha could only follow her heart. She motioned towards Isabela. She wasn't capable of doing anything that had a remote chance of hurting her pirate.

"The relic issue has to be resolved before we deal with the Qunari," Hawke said eventually.

"You trust her this much?" Aveline asked.

"Probably not," Isabela answered instead of Hawke, "I wouldn't."

_Neither would I, _Aisha thought in her head.

"Come on," Isabela said and headed towards the door, "the exchange is happening tonight in Low town."

…

As they were walking towards the meeting point, Aisha tugged at Isabela's arm.

"What is it?" Isabela asked her irritably.

"Tell her," Aisha whispered, "she is risking her life for you. You have to tell her."

Isabela rolled her eyes but couldn't ignore her conscience any longer.

"Hawke..." she called out, "there is something I have to tell you."

…

"All this could have been avoided!" Aveline and Hawke were furious but Isabela was unapologetic.

"Look," she said, "the book's right in this building and I am not letting it slip away again." It is the only thing that will get Castillion off my back. Please tell me you will give the relic to me."

To everyone's surprise including Aisha's, Hawke's reply was simple.

"It's yours. Your life depends on it."

"Really, I... wasn't expecting that," Isabela was grateful and felt a sting of bad conscience as she would have fought Hawke for it if necessary, "it's nice to have someone on my side for once."

They went into the building only to realise that they were too late, the man who was going to hand over the relic to Tevinter agents ran out as Qunari were attacking.

"He's getting away!" Isabela shouted and started running after him, Hawke helplessly staring after her. Aisha took one look at Hawke and then ran after her friend. When Aisha got out of the building, Isabela was just sinking her dagger into the man's chest, the relic safely under her arm.

"I got it, Aisha!" She yelled in triumph, "let's get out of here!"

"What about Hawke? The others?" Aisha had to ask.

"I'm leaving," Isabela said, "I need to get this back to Castillion. It's too bad that Hawke and the others got caught up in this, it's really unfortunate. But I'm leaving. Decide now if you're coming with me or not."

Aisha stared into Isabela's eyes and before she knew what was happening the pirate had grabbed her and pressed a hard kiss to her lips.

"Come with me."

There was no doubt as Aisha nodded. The riviani women stood up and started running.


	17. Chapter 17 - The Bride and the Daughter

**Flashback chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 17 – The Bride and The daughter**

_...Many years ago..._

10 year old Aisha was sitting in the kitchen eating a mango when her father called for her. She looked up in worry at the sound of his voice, knowing that whatever he wanted would be unpleasant for her .

"Your father is calling," the housekeeper reminded her. Aisha nodded quietly, finished her milk in one swift movement; stood up, put her earings on, straightened her skirt and went to the main room where her father was.

To Aisha's surprise her father wasn't alone. Next to him was a girl. She looked feral and poor; she wasn't even wearing any earings. She was wearing a grey simple dress which was slightly too short as if she had grown out and she was thin as if she had never had enough food. She had a rope tied around her wrist that Aisha's father was holding.

"Aisha," her father said and beckoned her to move closer, "this is Naishe. She is going to be my wife and your new mother."

"My new... mother?" Aisha repeated questioningly. The girl standing next to her father looked annoyed and scared at the same time; Aisha was a child but realised that this Naishe would never be anyone's mother.

"Yes," Luis replied impatiently, "but my new bride is... in need of a bath and some new clothes. I was thinking you could help her pick out something appropriate, yes? You're free to take something out of your mother's wardrobe."

"But father!" Aisha wanted to complain, "not mother's..." but Luis silenced her by just lifting his hand.

"No complaints, here," he tossed her the rope, "if she causes trouble, call for one of the guards." Then Luis turned around and left; leaving an uncomfortable Aisha and a pissed-off future pirate.

Aisha turned to the other girl, wondering what to do.

"You can use the bath in my room," she said but Naishe just replied with a roll of her eyes, "don't run away, okay? My father can get very angry." Aisha continued as she went forward and removed the rope from the other girl's wrist. Her wrist was so thin.

"When you have taken a bath," Aisha said quietly, "you can have some food; you look hungry."

"Whatever you say," Naishe replied without emotion.

"Umm..." Aisha didn't know what to do, "this way." And to the girl's relief, Naishe followed her up the stairs.

The bath was soon prepared and Aisha helped Naishe out of her dress and into the bath. Naishe was so thin her ribs were showing and even though she was at least fourteen years of age, her body was more girl than woman.

"It smells nice," Naishe suddenly said as she sank into the water.

…

Naishe's mind was racing. She was scared at what her new life would entail, she was furious at her mother for selling her and she felt intense hatred for the man who had bought her and the stupid daughter of his. But the bath was nice and calmed her agitaded heart. When the girl handed her a towel she took it without complaint; and she also accepted the blue dress that Aisha gave her. Once Naishe was dressed, Aisha asked her if she was hungry.

"Of course," Naishe replied, "in a house like this you must be rolling in bread and..."

"Mango," Aisha piped up before she could stop herself.

The other girl looked at her with disdain.

"Mango?"

"Yes, mango," Aisha replied, "my father bought a whole barrell of them yesterday. I love mangos. Do you have any favourite fruits?"

"Whisky," Naishe replied, "trying to make friends, little girl? Don't bother."

Naishe felt silly when she was actually served whisky later, sitting at a table in the kitchen with Aisha. She had been joking, never actually tried the substance before. _Oh well, _she thought to herself, _might as well try it. _It tasted horrendous, she found as she swallowed the bitter liquid. To her joy, however, she found the liquid warming her stomach; making her feel better, safer. Aisha was sitting next to her, eating a mango with little sounds of joy and satisfaction. Naishe suddenly felt sorry for the girl, it wasn't her fault who her father was.

"You should be careful you know," Aisha looked up, surprised that Naishe was talking with her, "you have been eating too much mango, your eyes have the same colour as the flesh. If you eat more you might turn into one."

…_6 years later..._

"There you are," Naishe said to her friend when finally finding her out on the field, sitting behind a big rock that was shielding her from the wind. Aisha looked up and quickly hid her notebook and quill.

"What are you writing?" Naishe continued and reached out to grab the girl's notebook, "hey, we don't keep secrets do we?"

Aisha stood up and started running and shrieking.

"Haha," she called, "catch me if you can!"

But Naishe was both stronger and faster and soon caught her, the both of them tumbling in the grass.

"No!" Aisha called as Naishe grabbed her notebook and opened it, still holding one hand to Aisha's chest and keeping her down.

"_When I see you, my heart shines_... Aisha! Is this... love poetry?"

"Don't tease me, okay? I just felt like writing."

Naishe continued chuckling but no longer in a cruel way; she laid back in the grass and handed the book back to the other girl.

"It's good to be writing, sweet thing," soon to be pirate yawned.

"Well, I'm not very good at it," Aisha answered and laid back in the grass too, looking up in the sky.

"You could be worse," Naishe said but then added in a teasing tone, "I can help. When I think of you I melt like a fat man in hot weather."

"Naishe!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring your father into this," that earned her a slap on the arm.

"How about this," Aisha said, "when I see you I loose my appetite."

"Your smile reminds me of darkspawn!"

"The sight of you turns my stomach."

"Your nosehair is like silk."

"Haha, stop it," Aisha eventually exclaimed, " you will make me swear of writing for all eternity."

"Don't say that sweet thing," Naishe said softly and turned her head at her friend. Aisha was looking happy but then worry filled her face.

"Father says it is time for me to marry soon."

Naishe rolled to her side and grabbed Aisha's hand.

"I'll try to talk with him," she said even though her stomach turned at the thought but she had to for Aisha. She remembered her own wedding night; the remembered the pain and the humiliation. Naishe had known instinctively that that's not all there was to sex and she had several times with different people had that thought confirmed. The thought that sweet, innocent Aisha would have to go through something like that caused Naishe's heart to ache.

…

Isabela was awoken by a soft kiss on her lips, accompanied by the smell of booze and a nervous giggle. She opened her eyes and were met with the sight of Aisha, her hair messy and wearing only her nightdress.

"Aisha, what..." but she was silenced by a clumsy push of Aisha's lips on her.

"Shh," Aisha said, "please, just... teach me... Naishe, please teach me."

Naishe sat up and pulled the girl next to her on the bed.

"Be quiet you goose," she whispered, "you don't want your father to find you drunk in his wife's bedroom. What is wrong?"

"I don't..." Aisha started crying, "Before I marry, I want you to teach me."

"Teach you what?" Naishe asked but she feared she already knew.

"Teach me to kiss and to touch," Aisha's said, her voice suddenly clearer, "I'm not stupid, I know that you have been with more people than my father, I know you know how to..." she didn't continue because Naishe understood.

"I can't just..."

"Naishe," Aisha begged, "I... I don't want to be sold into marriage without knowing your touch." Then she looked down, wondering how much of a fool she had made of herself. She was scared of her future wedding-night and she would like to be a bit prepared, that was all true but more than anything she wanted to know what Naishe was like. She wanted to wrap herself in her love, and know her kisses and her touch.

"Sweet heart," it was Naishe's voice but Aisha didn't dare to look up. Her breathing was strained and her heart was beating its way up to her head; her face was burning. _This was a stupid idea. _Then Naishe grabbed her chin, jacked it upwards and kissed her. Naishe wanted to make her happy again, so she gave the only thing she knew how to give.


	18. Chapter 18 - The backstabber and The Sad

A nasty bump in the road caused Aisha to wake up. They were in the back of a carriage, carrying them to the town of Minsop, a little town near the border, which was inhabited by mainly emigrated Rivians. Isabela had said that they would stay there for the night and then continuing to Ostwich where Castillion currently took up his residence. Aisha was looking forward to visiting Minsop, being around other Rivians, buying some fruits from Rivian, _perhaps even some mangos._

Isabela groaned and stretched her aching arms. Sleeping in a carriage was not comfortable, even worse than the hard beds of the Hanged Man. She was tired and worried, but happy that the relic was finally safely tucked into her bag. She looked over at Aisha who was sitting next to her. She had made the mage pull her hood down so that it was almost covering her eyes; anything to hide the mark of tranquility. Isabela was happy and relieved that her friend had chosen to come with her. She didn't want to leave Aisha again, not after having done so the first time and practically causing her tranquility.

Isabela fleetingly thought about Hawke and the rest she had left behind. They had been her friends. They _were _her friends. But she had left them. She had to leave them, to get Castillion off her back finally, so that she and Aisha could be free. Isabela shook any feelings of guilt from herself; she had had no choice. She wasn't a do-gooder like Hawke, she was not obsessesed with justice for people like Aveline or Anders. Isabela's only cause _was _Isabela; with Aisha as a close second. Isabela was a pirate, a selfish, thieving and whoring snake; she could never let herself forget this.

The women hadn't talked since taking the relic and running. They had run to the Hanged Man and grabbed some things and then they had gone to high town grabbing the first carriage that was leaving the city. It was a carriage that was also carrying various types of smoked fish to Orlais, it had several stops on the way, including Minsop where the women were planning to get of before heading to Ostwick.

It was a two day journey though and quite soon the carriage pulled to a halt. Aisha and Isabela went out, stretching their stiff legs and looking around. It was a farming village, calm and peaceful with children playing in one end and merchants discussing with customers in the other. It was a stark contrast to the brawl and just general craziness of Kirkwall.

"We're leaving again at dawn," the driver announced to his impromptu passengers. He hadn't intended to take on any but when the taller women had offered him three sovereigns to take them to Minsop he had agreed, "I'm sure they have some free rooms at the inn."

"What do you want to do now?" Isabela asked, "we could walk around, take in how calm things are now that we are no longer in _Berserkwall, _maybe find something to eat or just…" a smirk appeared on the pirate's face, "follow the nice man's advice and find a bed."

"I don't know," Aisha, said, "walk around for a bit would be nice. My legs are hurting from being still."

"I know what you mean," the pirate said, and the women walked around the village. It was a regular, slightly boring village; soon Isabela was sighing.

"I'm bored of this," she said, "we should do something fun."

"This was your idea," Aisha snapped at her, "you stole from the qunari. You're the pirate. You're the one who stabbed Hawke and Merrill and Aveline and Varric in the back and just left them, knowing that they will have to deal with the qunari when you could have just fixed it. And now you complain about being _bored. _Sometimes I don't believe you."

Isabela replied by sighing and rolling her eyes. She didn't need the guilt trip, not from Aisha. _She felt enough guilt on her own. _

"They should blame themselves," Isabela said, "they shouldn't have trusted me in the first place."

"Do you hear yourself?" Aisha snapped, "how can you be so selfish?"

Isabela had no answer. Life had made her this way. She felt angry that Aisha dared to question her when she had gone out of her way to cure Aisha of tranquility. But she couldn't be mad, she was tired. She wanted it to be over so she could once more be free; free to purge herself of the, for her, unnatural feelings of _guilt_.

"If you feel that way," Isabela said in a calm voice, "I am confused why you decided to come with me."

Aisha turned quiet. She refused to tell Isabela that she came with her because she couldn't bear the thought of Isabela leaving again. As infuriating as the pirate could be Aisha loved her. She would not tell that to Isabela though; at best it would just amuse her, at worst scare her away.

"It doesn't matter why I came," Aisha said, calming as well. She was not in the mood for arguing with her pirate. She was still carrying the weight and worry from Hawke's mom's death. It didn't matter what anyone said. Aisha still couldn't shake the feeling that maybe mages were dangerous; maybe they did deserve the circle or even tranquility.

Isabela could see that Aisha's mind had wandered somewhere else, somewhere darker, but didn't know what to do about it. She smiled somewhat sheepishly at the mage.

"Let's not argue sweetness, life is way too short," she said, "why don't you find us somewhere to sleep and I…" she grew silent.

"You're going to talk with a man about a dog?" Aisha said. Her voice was teasing but her smile and eyes were tired.

"Hey," Isabela said, laughing, "I never said I was good at making excuses. Seriously though, I need entertainment. You'll be okay, won't you?"

Aisha rolled her eyes and tried to ignore the jealousy that fled to the pit of her stomach.

"Go," she said and made a dismissive movement with her arm, "I'll see you later or tomorrow. Just don't get so _entertained _that you miss our ride out of here."

Isabela threw her a relieved look and then left. Aisha watched her leave and then wondered what she was going to do. She didn't feel like finding a room at the tavern and turning in for the night. Instead she kept walking around, looking at people and trying to distract herself from thinking about whatever Isabela was doing right now.

She found herself walking out of town, into the nearby forest. She sat down on a rock and started crying. She was sad. Sad that Hawke's mom had died, sad that her own mom had died so many years ago. Sad that her father had been a bad man. Sad that she had spent years as a tranquil. Sad that she was a dangerous mage. Sad that maybe it would have been better for everyone else if she would have stayed tranquil. Sad that she was in love with an unattainable and selfish person. Sad that she had no control over her own life.

She felt her sadness turn into anger and frustration and with a yell she lunged her arm forward. A spike of electricity flew from the tip of her fingers and hit a nearby tree and split it in two. A sudden voice made her look up.

"Well, well, what have we here?"

It was a woman, dressed in a dress that was slightly too fancy for the simple farming village and with a child at her side. Her hair was as dark as Aisha's but her skin was pale and her eyes were a shade of yellow that Aisha had never encountered outside Rivian.

Aisha panicked at the thought of somebody noticing that she was a mage and quickly hid her hands behind her back.

"There was thunder," she said in a shrill voice, "the lighting came out of nowhere and startled me."

To her annoyance the woman chuckled.

"Really?" She said, " 'tis strange that thunder should come out when the sky is so clear."

"I…" Aisha started but stopped; she didn't know what to say.

"Relax," the woman said, "I'm not going to turn in a fellow mage. But it would be interesting to hear why a young apostate such as yourself is alone in the forest. It's hardly safe," she threw a look at the tree that was split in two, "or perhaps that's nothing you need to worry about."

"Maybe it would be good if I died," Aisha whispered, she hadn't really thought about the danger of wandering into the woods on her own. She was used to having Isabela or Hawke near. In their merry band of misfits there was always somebody close. They always had each other's backs. Until now. Rage hit Aisha again. _Stupid, selfish Isabela. _How could she just betray everyone like that?

"Perhaps it would," the other woman said, "and perhaps you will. Sitting here alone might do that to you. How do you know I won't hurt you myself."

"Because you have a child with you," Aisha replied.

The woman threw her head back and laughed.

"That never stopped my mother from hurting anyone."

But the child tugged worriedly at her mother's skirt.

"What is it Morgana?"

The girl didn't say anything; she just tugged again and looked at her mother intently. Then she turned to look at Aisha, the child looked like a small replica of her mother even though her eyes were more regular and blue. _Must be from the child's father, _Aisha though.

"My child is so squeamish," the woman said, " 'tis really a bother." Her words were harsh but her tone loving and the child actually smiled, "she doesn't talk much either."

"Are you an apostate?" Aisha suddenly asked. The other woman looked annoyed.

"No I am not. I do not bow to the circle or the chantry or the templars and I do not assume the titles they give me. Neither should you, Riviani."

"But…" Aisha started, desperate for some advice from an older mage, "don't you agree that we are dangerous? My friend's mother was killed by one, the abominations and… and… maybe we all deserve to die."

Aisha stood up in frustration and the lowest part of her hood was caught on the ground causing it to fall of her head and reveal the mark on her forehead. The other woman's eyes were on it immediately.

"My, my," she said and smirked, "now I am intrigued. You used to be tranquil. 'Tis very few who has escape such fate."

"I know," Aisha said in a dark voice, " I guess I'm lucky."

"You don't seem to think so," the woman said, "well, we must be going. We're on our way to Orlais and it takes a long time when walking the entire way." She stretched her arms a little and her daughter mimicked her movements. Aisha found herself wondering how long the mother and daughter had been walking.

"Mages are people too," the woman said before retreating back into the forest, "how many people haven't been killed by a sword or bow. Abominations are not the worst monsters that walk in this world." Then she started walking slowly into the forest. Her daughter stood still for a moment, looking at Aisha with curiosity in her eyes. She went forward and reached out with a little hand to touch Aisha's cheek. Aisha was so short it was no problem for the girl.

"Remember," the girl said in a strangely adult voice, "revel in your abilities instead of fear them. Your ability is a gift. You are a gift. There is nothing as important as this." Then the girl smiled a shy smile and ran after her mother.

* * *

**Sorry, I just couldn't resist.**


	19. Chapter 19 - When in doubt

**Chapter 19 – When in doubt...**

Isabela sighed in content as the man rolled of her. It had been just what she needed, a few minutes of blissful forgetting. The man, whoever he was, had been unnecessarily rough and not very good but good enough to send her over the edge. Now, with the man panting next to her, Isabela couldn't get away fast enough. She laughed at his feeble and tired way of trying to keep her next to him as she secured her tunic and pulled her boots on again. Then the pirate headed into the night.

She started walking towards the tavern, thinking and hoping that Aisha had gotten a room. The tavern was fancier than she was used to, not like the stench of the Hanged Man. The man behind the bar told her that a riviani woman had rented the first room up the stairs on the left and Isabela headed there.

Aisha was asleep when Isabela went into. She looked stressed, not peaceful and her eyelids were fluttering. Isabela couldn't help but look at her friend while taking of her clothes and washing the previous bed partner away. When she was clean she approached the sleeping rivian.

There was only one bed in the room so the pirate gently pushed the girl towards the wall and then lay down next to her, taking the blanket and spreading it over the both of them. Aisha seemed to calm down and pressed herself closer, muttering something in her sleep. Isabela couldn't help but put her arm around her friend and press a kiss to the top of the head that was now snuggled into her bosom. She thought briefly about the people they had left behind, maybe they would all be dead in a couple of days. The thought terrified her. She didn't know when she had started to care about things like friendship but she couldn't deny that she was _uncomfortable _at the thought of any of her friends getting hurt. Even lady man-hands.

…

The next leg of the journey was just as uncomfortable as the first if not more. Aisha was still annoyed with Isabela for everything and the pirate refused to apologize for anything. Instead they sat in silence looking out of the window.

Aisha was still thinking about the strange meeting with the mother and daughter last night. She still felt conflicted about mages in general and parts of her was simply scared that her fate was to one day slip and become an abomination. But she had decided to get over it. She wasn't about to lay down and die, she would fight and train to be better. …and try really hard to not use blood magic. If she ever met Hawke again she would take the opportunity to talk with a mage who was _normal _and not like Anders. Because even if Anders was an experienced mage he was also his own form of abomination and Aisha didn't feel like she could trust him with the types of doubts she was having. In a way the mage was happy about last night's impromptu meeting, it had been what she needed.

It was mid-day when the carriage pulled to a halt in Minsop. Aisha was too excited to wait for it to stop properly; she just jumped out and looked around. It had been too long since she had been to Rivian and even if Minsop wasn't Rivian it was closer than Aisha had been for almost ten years. Her heart ached for the food, the dialect, the people. It had been her home and even if it had its problems Aisha missed it.

She heard Isabela sigh behind her. Isabela didn't like anything that reminded her of Rivian. It was diffirent than the Free Marches and Ferelden. Belief in the Qun was widespread and the matriarchal society was slightly... _chaotic. _Isabela should have liked it, but their homecountry just reminded the pirate of being trapped in a loveless marriage and she did not like the thought of going back. She hadn't thought of stopping a night in Minsop. Isabela told herself that she had changed her mind because it was better to be completely rested when facing Castillion but the truth was that Aisha had sounded delighted at the thought of visiting little Rivian. The pirate didn't know why but she wanted Aisha to continue smiling.

Aisha was happier than she had been in a long time. She pulled Isabela to the various stands of fruits that were being sold at the market square. With squeel of joy Aisha payed one of the vmerchants and then turned around holding five ripe mangoes in her arms.

"Look!" She said and she tried to maneuver the fruits into her bag with one hand while balancing the fruits on the other arm. One of them fell but the pirate caught it before it reached the ground.

"Here," Isabela said and Aisha nodded and took it gratefully. She still didn't say anything, still feeling more than irritated with her friend. Isabela wanted to not care; but felt to her annoyance that she did care. She had never cared what anyone thought about her before, but Aisha was different.

"You should be careful you know," the pirate said trying to lighten the mood, "you have been eating too much mango, your eyes have the same colour as the flesh. If you eat more you might turn into one." Her words were the exact same as they had been all those years before and for just a moment, Aisha's mango-coloured eyes lightened and she smiled.

"Naishe," she giggled.

The two women smiled as they looked at each other and it was as if they were young again. With the smells and sounds all around them it was as if they had never left Rivain. For just a moment they were just Aisha and Naishe, all the years and events in between them didn't matter, their essences were still the same.

The moment passed. They sat down on some crates and Aisha started eating one of the mangos; Isabela ate one too even though she wasn't even that fond of mango. She thought about the relic, she thought about her friends. They WERE her friends. Still. And she had stabbed them in the back. Like she always did. _I'm a pirate, _Isabela thought, _it's what I do. _But for the first time in her life it wasn't enough.

"I have to go back, don't I?" She asked Aisha as the mage wiped her wet chin with the sleeve of her tunic. She looked silently at the pirate for a few minutes.

Aisha nodded.


	20. Chapter 20 - Demands of the Qun

**Chapter 20 – Demands of the Qun**

Aisha thought she was going to die when the Arishok announced that he would be taking Isabela with him back to Par Vollen. She was standing right next to the pirate and in panic grabbed her arm. _They can't have you._

"What?" Isabela and Hawke asked in unison.

"She stole the Tome of Koslun," the Arishok continued, "she must return with us." Isabela sensed danger and pulled her arm from Aisha's grip and pushed her towards Anders and Merrill who grabbed her. If Isabela had to fight she didn't want Aisha to be in the way.

Hawke didn't look scared and just looked at the Arishok with calm eyes.

"It sounds like you have something very specific in mind?" She asked the large qunari.

"She will submit to the Qun and the Ben-Hasrath. More than that I will not say."

Isabela's cocky stance didn't change but Aisha could see that her friend was scared and she struggled a bit wanting to stand next to her but Anders kept a firm grip on her arm.

"Isabela will answer to our laws," Hawke tried but the Arishok was adamant.

"Then you leave me no choice," the Arishok said almost sadly, "I challenge you Hawke. You and I will battle until death."

At his words, Merrill gasped softly next to Aisha and Anders extended his other arm to take hold of her too; wanting neither of his friends to get into trouble. Aisha saw the worry in Merrill's eyes and grasped her hand.

"No," Isabela exclaimed, "if you're going to duel anyone, duel me." But Arishok pointed out that she wasn't worthy; only Hawke was and they quickly cleared the floor for the duel. Isabela just stood there, looking furious, for a few minutes but then she reluctantly went to stand next to Aisha who immidiately left Anders' side and put her arms around Isabela's waist. Isabela mindlessly put her arm around the mage's shoulder but then she looked guility at Merrill. It was after all her fault that Merrill's lover was now in a duel.

…

The duel was long and bloody and more than once Hawke was on the ground but every time she got up. She was victorious in the end, and as everyone cheered, Merrill ran forward to be by Hawke's side. Isabela however, didn't dare to move forward even though Aisha was pulling her arm.

"I don't think I should," the pirate said and Aisha felt like slapping her.

"This is your fault!" She snapped, "Hawke almost died for you. The least you can do is say thank you." But Isabela still didn't move.

"This was a mistake," she said, "I... I shouldn't have come back."

Aisha looked disgusted for one moment.

"What's wrong with you?" She asked, but didn't have enough strength to make her voice loud. Instead her words had been almost a whisper. She had loved Isabela for as long as she could remember, she had at times almost had a form of hero-worship for the pirate. Isabela had saved her life, had brought her back to the world. She was her first kiss, her first love, the first one to touch her. Aisha would always love her, she could not see a reality where her feelings would go away or even cool.

This did not change the fact that Isabela was a decieving, lying, back-stabbing pirate. And Aisha had had enough.

"This is who I am," Isabela said, "I know who I am. And I am not whatever nice illusion of me that you have created."

"I know exactly who you are," Aisha replied, still whispering, "I still love you."

The words hang between them in the air. Isabela didn't looked shocked or surprised, just tired. Every cell in her body told her to run, to get away. She didn't want to stand there, in front of the mage, her best friend, the one who loved her.

"I should go," Isabela said, "I don't think anything good will come of me staying."

Aisha sighed, wanting to cry.

"Yes," she said, her voice croaking a little, "just go. It's what you want to do anyway."

Isabela turned around and started walking, past all the cheering nobles and crying wives. Past Aveline who simply looked at her as she continued walking. Past Hawke and Merrill, crying from relief and holding each other. _Probably telling each other how they love each other, _Isabela thought in, somehow, both contempt and longing. She reached the gallows in very little time, staying clear of the fighting that was still going on. She looked at the different ships that were currently preparing for departure. One of them was heading for Antiva; _yeah, that would do_. She went on-board and asked for the captain, asking if you could pay her way by scrubbing decks or something. _All men are the same, _Isabela thought as the captain took one look at her body and then gladly agreed. She settled by the stem of the boat, watching Kirkwall become smaller and smaller in the distance; not knowing when or if she would see it again. _I love you too._


	21. Chapter 21 - Absence makes the heart

**Chapter 21 - Absence makes the heart grow colder**

Nobody asked Aisha where Isabela was; she could hear them speculate but nobody actually said the pirate's name in front of her. Isabela became a taboo and Aisha preferred not to think about her at all. It was only at night, tucked into a blanket that no longer smelled of tar and sea, she allowed herself to think about a curved smile on top of a golden bead, a blue bandana, chocolate coloured hair and two honey-eyes. _Isabela, where are you? _It didn't matter that Aisha had been the one to tell her friend to leave, it didn't matter that the pirate had made her furious. She missed her like a missing limb.

It had been a few months when Hawke and Merrill wondered if Aisha wanted to move in with them, not liking the young woman living on her own in such an establishment. The young mage had taken one last look at her bed and Isabela's bed; a room that no longer held the unattainable pirate. She was gone, and Aisha had to learn to accept this. She packed her little bag with the few belongings she had and left their room vacant.

Most of the days she didn't like to follow Hawke and the others on their adventures. She wanted her own life, she didn't want to rely on anyone. Even though she was now living closer to her friends than ever she saw them very little. After getting very tired listening to Hawke's continuing sermon to lay low, Aisha used the only thing she could. She lifted her tranquil marked head high and looked for a job as a tranquil. Acting the part was surprisingly easy. And that is how she winded up working for a certain elf called Tallis.

She was the elf's eyes and ears on the outside, running errands and occasionally cleaning or tidying the elf's modest home; all while pretending to be a tranquil. Tallis was an elf, but Aisha was so short they were pretty much at the same height. Aisha found herself liking the elf, she was witty and remained her of the pirate in some ways. But unlike Isabela, Tallis seemed reliable.

...

"You know," Tallis said once when Aisha arrived at her home, delivering a package, "I wish you weren't tranquil. You're way too pretty to loose your personality in such a way." Aisha had been pretending to be a tranquil for months by this time and never slipped but hearing Tallis say these words was too much. She managed to keep her mouth neutral but she couldn't stop the blush that rose to her cheeks.

"Hey," Tallis said and grabbed Aisha's wrist to keep her from leaving in panic, "tranquils don't blush!"

Aisha had to try.

"We do occasionally," Aisha said in a monotone voice, "it just hasn't been documented."

Tallis squinted her eyes suspiciosly.

"Oh really?" She asked, "So if I told you you are cute when you blush, you would say?"

Aisha's face turned even more red and she lifted her hands to cover her burning cheeks. She looked annoyed for a moment.

"I guess this tranquil is not so used to recieve compliments," Tallis said with a smirk, "seriously though, why have you been lying? I would have hired you even if you were, you know, normal."

The elf seemed to think for a moment.

"You're not here to spy on me or something, are you?" She asked and Aisha shook her head.

"It's just not so easy finding a job with this mark on my forehead."

"I can imagine," Tallis said, "are you an apostate then?" Aisha looked scared for a moment, "I'm not going to turn you in, don't worry. I'm an elf after all, we're not very liked either."

"So..." Aisha asked carefully, "can I keep my job?"

"I expect you too," Tallis replied, "although I suggest you continue posing as a tranquil. Don't want anyone asking questions. And hey... I like your non-tranquil voice better."

Aisha blushed again.

…

Tallis was different than Isabela. Her kisses softer, her hands not as course, and she was smaller everywhere. Not as giving, but certainly not in a bad way. In bed, they were equals and Tallis let Aisha touch her in ways that the pirate never let her. They held each other, laughed together, kissed until their passion spiked once more and they just had to be together. Outside they were different, Aisha still tranquil but inside they were themselves. Talking about their pasts, learning about each other. Aisha even told Tallis about Isabela and they discussed the Qun but didn't fight about it. They kissed and made love, over and over. Aisha found herself sleeping more and more nights in Tallis' bed rather than Hawke's mansion and that was okay. She had wanted her own life and now she had it.

A year past. Two years past. Two long years of the elf and the mage enjoying each others company and finding happiness in a town that had kept them both captive. It was a strange relationship, friends with benefits rather than love but it suited their needs. Aisha could see the questioning looks from her friends, wondering who it was that had placed a smile on her lips, but she never told anyone about Tallis, wanting to keep the elf to herself.

At the start of the third year of Isabela's absence, a light breeze brought a ship to Kirkwall. Aisha had even seen it from the window in Tallis' bedroom, she was taking in the lovely view of the sea while the elf was behind her, gently biting her shoulders and tweaking a nipple with one of her hands.

"Waiting for someone?" Tallis whispered, her mouth mere centimetres from Aisha's dark skin.

"Yes," Aisha laughed, "I'm waiting for your hand to travel lower, but alas..." her sentence ended there as Tallis' hand did travel lower. Words soon became redundant. Their little conversation had been very ironic, as with that breeze, with that ship a certain pirate was back in town.


	22. Chapter 22 - The returning pirate

"Isabela!" Merrill couldn't believe that it actually was her friend at the door, "when did you come back?" The elf hurried to pull the pirate into the house.

"Hawke!" She called out, "it's Isabela." The pirate smiled at Merrill's constant prattle as they went into the main room. Hawke came down the stairs and Isabela took a sigh of relief when her friend didn't seem mad at her.

"I heard you're Champion now?" Isabela said with a smirk wanting to keep the conversation light. Hawke looked at her for a moment.

"Yeah..." She replied and put her arm around Merrill's shoulders, "so where have you been?"

"Oh you know me," Isabela said, "I have travelled the seas, drunk the drink, laid the maidens. All good things."

Merrill chuckled and lept forward to hug her friend again. It had been empty without Isabela. Isabela hugged her back, and eventually Hawke smiled genuinly and hugged the pirate again. Isabela hadn't know that she had been worried but felt very relieved that neither of her friends seemed to be mad at her. Hers and Hawke's rather awkward hug ended and Isabela stretched her arms, looking around the room. There was a female elf in the corner whom Isabela didn't recognise but otherwise most things seemed the same.

"So..." Isabela said and walked to the fireplace, "I was at the Hanged Man. Apparently Aisha hasn't lived there for two years, you don't want to know what I had to do to get my old room back." She chuckled to herself again and tried to keep her voice from sounding too caring.

"So..." she said again, "do you know where Aisha is?"

Hawke and Merrill shared a look.

"She lives here," Hawke eventually said, "she has for over a year. But we haven't actually seen her for a couple of days."

"A couple of days?" Isabela couldn't keep the emotion out of her voice this time, "where is she?"

Hawke sighed.

"We didn't ask."

…

Aisha couldn't keep the need out of her voice as she grabbed a handful of Tallis' hair and tried to direct the elf where she needed it the most.

"Tallis, Tallis, Tallis, please just... please, please, _please_."

…

"You didn't ask?" Isabela asked the mage, "remember your mother! What if she's in danger, what if she's dead, what if..."

"Isabela! Calm down!" Hawke yelled, "we didn't ask because Aisha has her own life and she is regularly gone for days. Our guess is that..." Hawke shared another look with Merrill which made Isabela roll her eyes.

"We think, "Merrill said, taking over from her girlfriend, "we think that Aisha might have... a new friend."

"A new friend?" Isabela repeated, reality dawning on her. "Good for her." She turned around, trying to not feel anything. When she was sure that all emotion could be seen on her face except amusement, she turned from the fire and faced her friends.

"Well, I should go..."

"Go?" Merrill asked, "but you just got here. Can't you stay for dinner? Yes, stay for dinner."

"Nah, kitten, I have to settle in... I break out in hives if I stay too long in High town anyway."

As Isabela left Hawke's mansion and started walking towards Low town she started thinking about Aisha. Did Aisha have a new _friend_? Did that matter? Isabela had returned because she had realised that it didn't matter what she did, she still missed Aisha. She had spent days on the bend; every time she sobered up she had drank more. She had slept with strong women in armor, strong men who could lift her up; none of them purged her of the wish for a lithe and beautiful body. A body inhabited by her friend. _Aisha. _Not even the sea could stop Isabela from missing her. As long as she heard nothing about Castillion she could justify her absence with the fear of being caught; but she knew he would eventually come for her. And if she was to die, she wanted to see Aisha first. Not that she was planning to die, no of course not, but it didn't hurt to be careful.

Isabela changed her route. She didn't feel like going home alone to her lonely room in the Hanged man. Instead she went straight to the Blooming Rose.

…

"Do you still think about her?" Tallis said with her head resting on Aisha's lower abdomen while lazily drawing circles around and on Aisha's breasts.

Aisha did not have to ask who the elf meant.

"Yes," she said shortly, "all the time." Then she laughed a little, "but I would never tell her that." Tallis joined her laughter. Then worry fell over her face like a shadow.

"What's wrong?" Aisha asked her lover, grabbed her hand and gently kissed her knuckles, "are you still worried? Just tell Hawke what's going on, she is so nice. She helps everyone."

Tallis sighed and sat up.

"I can't tell her the truth. Not after she fought the qunari. I can't trust her, I hope that that doesn't hurt you in any way."

"Of course not," Aisha sat up as well and put her arm around Tallis still nude shoulders, and pulled her close, "you do as you choose, I just think that Hawke would help you even if you were honest and it would make things easier for you."

Tallis let her head rest on Aisha's shoulder. _I love you, _the words were on Tallis' lips but she didn't say them. It was bad enough that she had fallen badly for the mage, but she wouldn't lower herself to actually admit it. She had bigger issues. Issues that had to be taken care of soon.


	23. Chapter 23 - Awkward meeting

The pirate had been back in Kirkwall for several days when she spotted Aisha. Isabela was just coming back from the Blooming Rose, sated in more ways than one, when she heard a familiar laughter. She looked towards the High town main square and surely enough, there _she_ was. It was her mage, her Aisha, laughing and walking together with an elf that Isabela didn't recognize. Isabela stayed in the shadows, observing the mage who still hadn't noticed her.

Aisha looked older and happier than Isabela had ever seen her. Her hair was longer, her smile brighter and the constant frown of worry and stress was gone. Probably all thanks to the pretty elf that was next to her, Isabela thought. Aisha and the elf hooked their arms as they walked towards Hawke's estate. Isabela followed them for a little bit, secretly enjoying the sound of Aisha's giggles and whispers even if they weren't directed at her.

"I have to go now," she heard the elf say.

"Can't you just...?" Aisha replied and refused to let go of the elf's hand.

"No I can't and you have to go home," the elf laughed, "you haven't left my bed for days. Hawke will start wondering." Isabela gasped a little at the elf's word but strained her ears trying to hear. Her heart sank when Aisha gave the elf an adoring smile and leaned forward. The pirate couldn't take her eyes of the two women who kissed tenderly and felt lucky that her rogue skills kept her invisible in the shadows.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" Isabela was close enough to see Aisha's hopeful smile. The elf laughed instead of replying and kissed the tip of the mage's nose.

"I'm planning to talk with Hawke tomorrow." The elf said as she turned around and started walking away into the night, "if you're lucky you will get to come to Chateau Haine."

Aisha stood still for a few moments, looking into the dark at the direction her friend had left in. Isabela had to admit to herself that the mage looked happy, she didn't look like she missed Isabela at all. Part of the pirate wanted to leave, not complicate Aisha's life again; the other part of her wanted to leap forward, take Aisha in her arms, kiss her and hope that the smile of the mage's lips wouldn't go away but rather deepen.

Aisha shivered in the cold night. She would miss Tallis, she realised, even if they were just going to be apart for a few nights. The mage had grown accustomed to spend lazy days with Tallis in bed and she had a suspicions that those days were sadly over. Tomorrow Tallis was going to go and lie to Hawke, and after that she had to leave. Aisha didn't feel like she could judge her friend for wanting to lie, she was going to miss her a lot when she left though.

The mage was about to open the door when a pair of arms encircled her waist from behind and she was swept into an embrace smelling of the sea and a pirate she hadn't seen in a long time. Aisha's reflexes were quick and before she noticed who the stranger was she had elbowed Isabela in the stomach and moved away from her.

Isabela coughed at the hit and let go, taking a step backwards and rubbing her stomach.

"Ouch!" she said to the now surprised Aisha, "what's wrong with you? This is how you greet me?"

Aisha looked angry for a moment.

"You snuck up on me at night! You're lucky I didn't throw a fireball at you."

Isabela dropped her arm down and looked at Aisha. Any hope that Aisha would actually be happy to see her seemed foolish; it seemed as if the mage was still angry at her despite it being years since they had seen each other.

"You can't seriously still be angry with me?" The pirate said. Aisha sighed, and rubbed her forehead.

"No," she said eventually, "I'm not angry with you anymore, I haven't been for a long time. You just scared me a little bit."

"I'm sorry," Isabela said but after that turned quiet. She didn't know what to say anymore, "I should go, I just saw you and your friend and thought I should say hi. You know, for old time's sake."

Aisha took a step back and looked defensive once more.

"How much did you hear?" She asked, not entirely comfortable with the thought that her old lover had watched her with her new one.

"Relax sweet thing," Isabela said, "I didn't hear anything."

"Good," Aisha said. Then silence fell between them once more. _This is so awkward, _Aisha thought. Every cell in her body seemed to be screaming at her to move, Isabela was there. Her Isabela, the Isabela she had spent almost every night for two years dreaming about. The Isabela that she had feared that she would never get to see again. And here she was. The same. Her hair, her arms, her skin, Aisha wanted to move forward and wrap herself in every part that was Isabela. She also knew that she wouldn't.

"Have you been back for long?" Aisha eventually asked.

Isabela sighed and nodded.

"A few days. I came and asked about you but nobody seemed to know where you were. I even ran into Anders who seemed angry."

Aisha smiled.

"Good, let him be angry. He wants to be my father or something. Hawke and Merrill let me live my life, they're sweet."

"They let you live with them?"

Aisha nodded.

"Yeah, they've been really helpful in every way."

"And that elf..."

"Is none of your business," Aisha said, "she is my employer."

"You surprise me," Isabela said, "I never thought you would be the type to take up that kind of employment."

"Shut up," Aisha snapped, an angry blush spreading on her cheeks, "just go home, Isabela, go home to wherever it is you sleep now." She started turning around when the pirate grabbed her arm.

"I'm... I'm sorry, okay?" The pirate said, "that was uncalled for."

Aisha didn't look at her, sighed and then nodded slowly.

"It's okay," she said without turning around, "but it's late, I'm tired and it's probably going to be a long day tomorrow, so..."

"What's happening tomorrow?"

Aisha turned around now and looked at her. Isabela put her arms up with her palms forward.

"Fine, fine, not my business. I'm going."

Isabela did turn to walk away now, leaving an empty hole in Aisha's chest. The mage couldn't help herself, she lunged forward and yelled.

"Isabela!"

Isabela stopped walking and turned around slowly. Aisha took five quick steps and was soon standing in front of her.

"Ummm," she said, suddenly feeling awkward, "if you don't have anywhere to sleep you could always sleep here. I'm sure Hawke and Merrill wouldn't mind. _I _wouldn't mind."

Isabela remained quiet for a moment. Aisha was standing right in front of her, close enough to touch. It would be so easy to just lean down and kiss those slightly quivering lips, maybe run her fingers through the stray hairs that had made their way out of the mage's braid. Isabela wanted so badly to extend her arm and just pull the smaller woman closer but stood frozen on the ground. Eventually she felt herself giving her usual confident smile.

"I got my old room back," she said, "and even if I hadn't there are plenty of beds that are open to me." Her confident smile disappeared when Aisha looked tired again and wished she hadn't said anything.

"I'm sure there are," Aisha said, sounding strained, "welcome back." With that she started turned and started walking back. Isabela waited a moment, watching the mage go to the door, open it, enter and close it again. The pirate turned back towards the stairs to Low town and started walking home.

She didn't feel like finding a stranger's bed to sleep in. Instead she went home, to her room in the Hanged man, she took of her necklace and earings, threw her bandana and tunic on the floor, eventually she kicked her boots off and laid down naked on her bed. She remembered another night, almost three years ago when another warm night that had led her to sleeping naked; the following morning she had woken up with a naked Aisha in her arms.

…

Aisha laid awake in her bed, unable to sleep. Every time she closed her eyes all she could see was the pirate. Her bronze skin, her honey-coloured eyes, the sun-spots on her face and her arms, her lips. It had been so difficult standing so close to her and not touch her at all, but it had been worth the restraint when Isabela had said that thing about beds being open for her.

The mage turned and twisted in the bed, it really was too warm, but she didn't want to take of her chemise in case Bodhan or Orana came into her room in the morning. Part of her missed the freedom of living somewhere where she didn't feel like she was under constant scrutiny. It was sweet of Hawke to let her stay there, it was, but it wasn't for Aisha. She didn't belong in High Town. The mage didn't know where she belonged. She turned once more and tried to be comfortable. It didn't work but sleep came for her anyway.

* * *

**AN**:_ Hope everyone is still enjoying the stories! Reviews are always welcome ;)_

_Believe it or not the story is sloowly starting to wrap up. Only around six chapters or something like that left. Thank you for reading!_


	24. Chapter 24 - Enter Tallis

**Chapter 24 – Enter Tallis**

The next morning, while Aisha was having breakfast with Merrill and Hawke, Varric came in. Aisha was quite sure what it was about and just watched as Varric sat down and told Hawke that one of his informers, Edge, had said that _somebody _wanted to meet Hawke the same night to talk about nobles.

"Nobles?" Hawke asked, "what have I done now?"

"Should you really be listening to somebody called _Edge_?" Aisha asked in the background with one eyebrow raised.

"I don't know," Varric shrugged, "he just said that some nobles or something wanted to meet in high town after dark. He sounded Orlesian. "

It was Hawke's turn to look suspicious.

"High town after dark? Does he think we're stupid?"

But Aisha looked up at the word 'orlesian'.

"We should go," she said suddenly causing the others to look up at her, surprised, "what? I just think that even if it is a trap, if somebody wants you dead- wouldn't it be better if you just prepared and went there to catch him or her instead?"

"You have a point," Hawke nodded and then turned to Varric, "okay, we'll go tonight. Breakfast?"

…

Merrill was not feeling particularly well so Hawke felt happier knowing that her lover was going to stay home and asked Aisha to tag along instead. Aisha appreciated the fact that Hawke had asked her if she would be comfortable with bringing Isabela along. The young mage wasn't sure how she felt; seeing the pirate was complicated but she didn't feel like she had any right to complain.

It was already dark when Hawke, Aisha, Varric, Isabela and Aveline made their way to a square in High town. It was an open space that Varric led them to and it was clearly a good place for an ambush, all of them saw it and Hawke turned to Varric.

"Feels like I'm ambush," she said and looked around at the tall walls.

"That's what you get for trusting a man called _Edge,_" Isabela said, making Aisha smile without hardly wanting to. It mirrored her earlier words.

Varric shook his head.

"It doesn't _always _have to be an ambush." In that exact moment about twelve guards dropped down from the walls. Soon the group was surrounded.

"Alright," Varric admited, "maybe sometimes it is an ambush."

One of the men turned around, smirking and with a cruel look in his eyes.

"Well, well," he said, "the champion of Kirkwall. You die today." He was then hit in shoulder by an knife. The group looked up to where the knife had been thrown and Isabela saw to her amusement that it was Aisha's elf from last night.

The elf jumped with amazing agility from side to side, making her way to the group and stabbing several guards in the process. Aisha couldn't help but smile, seeing her lover so agile and able. Her fighting was like a dance and the young mage couldn't help but being a bit mesmerized. She and Tallis had talked about it before hand and decided that they weren't going to tell Hawke that they knew each other.

Tallis landed in front of them and took out several guards by herself before pressing her knife against the throat of the leader. Aisha looked at Isabela quickly, hoping that Isabela wouldn't recognize the elf that had walked her home the other night. Sadly the pirate was looking amused and gave her a look, Aisha shook her head, hoping that the others didn't see. Isabela nodded. She wouldn't tell if Aisha didn't want her to; keeing a secret wasn't a problem.

Tallis stabbed the leader in the throat before he managed to bark out his order, then she turned around and faced Hawke.

"Well," she said, "what are you waiting for?"

Hawke smirked.

"You seemed to be doing quite well on your own." But then she lifted her staff up, Varric took out Bianca, Isabela her knives and Aveline drew her sword. Then they quickly assaulted the rest of the armed men. Aisha didn't carry a staff but didn't need one; she had focused quite a lot on elemental destructive forces and Isabela noticed that the young mage had learned a trick or two during her absent years. Tallis continued fighting also, but not before managing to wink at Aisha while everybody else was looking away. Isabela did catch it and felt some dark emotion sink to the pit of her stomach. The pirate couldn't tell what the emotion was but it made her feel uncomfortable and she looked away and instead focused on the enemies in front of her.

When they were defeated Tallis was covered in blood.

"Sloppy," she said and started walking towards Hawke and the others with rather sultry steps, "I would have expected the Crows to be better than this. They have been doing it for ages."

Hawke put on her usual smirk. It was confident, cocky but equally charming; it was a smile that had made so many templars and city guards trust her. It was the smile that had actually _saved _them more than one time.

"I rather liked your entrance," Hawke said as Tallis walked closer, "you have some... _fine _moves."

"I do don't I?" Tallis replied, equally confident, "my name is Tallis, and I've been looking for you."

"Looking for me?"

"Looking for the woman who has an invitation to Chateau Haine to be specific." Everyone in the group looked at Hawke..

"What?" she asked, "I got the invitation weeks ago, it's all noble bullshi..."

"I was thinking that we could go," Tallis interrupted her.

"It's not the type of thing I enjoy," Hawke said.

"I was hoping you could reconsider," Tallis said, "the Duke who is throwing it is a delightful host, or so I hear..."

"Let me guess," Hawke replied, "this isn't just a social call?"

Tallis opened her mouth and started talking, Aisha fully aware that she was lying. The mage found herself crossing her fingers behind her back, hoping that Hawke would agree to help her friend. Hawke had to help her; without her help, Tallis' cause was lost.


	25. Chapter 25 - Mark of the assassin

**Chapter 25 - Mark of the assassin **

And off they went. Travelling towards the Vimmark Mountains and Chateau Haine. Procuring the wyvern before entering the party was surprisingly easy and soon they found themselves changing into formal clothes. Hawke was looking rather dashing in a pair of purple trousers with a blue shirt and dark blue vest, Aveline was actually wearing a green dress and matching Aisha who had also put on a dress for the occasion. Fenris and Isabela were still in their regular clothes.

They were standing and waiting when Tallis walked around the corner, dressed in a beautiful blue coat and skirt.

"She's got style. I'll give her that." Aisha heard Isabela say behind her and couldn't help but silently agree. Tallis looked very pretty and Aisha couldn't help but feel a warmth spreading in her chest when Tallis seemed to smile at her the longest. Then she turned to Hawke.

"I had a quick look around," she said, "there is one door into the castle that isn't under heavy guard."

"And there is something wrong with that I imagine," Fenris asked quietly next to Hawke.

Tallis threw her arms up a little.

"I can't get it open. And believe me, I tried. Bent a nice set of lockpicks in that stupid door. One the the duke's guards must have the key. They wouldn't just lock themselves out of the castle... I hope."

Hawke chuckled at the thought.

"Why else would the party be in the garden? He probably has somebody breaking a window right now."

"Haha," Tallis laughed, "I could make that work actually. But in the meantime, let's find somebody with a key."

Aveline interuppted.

"If you're set on this, we should split up. The guards will get suspicious of a big group."

Hawke nodded.

"Tallis and I will look for the key. The rest of you, look for another way in while not looking too suspicious. _Mingle_. _Have fun_." With that, plus a wink and a smirk, Hawke left with them and went away with Tallis.

Aveline tugged on Fenris' arm, pulling him towards the people.

"Come on," she said, "we should start." Then they left as well, leaving Aisha and Isabela looking awkwardly at each other.

"So," Isabela said, "you look nice."

"Thank you." More silence.

"Umm," Isabela continued, "so maybe we should go in that direction," pointing, "people? Liquor? Looking for a way in?"

They started walking together, Aisha a little bit in front of Isabela. The pirate took this as an opportunity to look at her. Aisha's long black hair was free for once, creating a black waterfall over the emeral green of the dress; she had still kept her bandana over her forehead though, not wanting the mark to show. Her steps held certainty as if she knew exactly where she was going which was a huge difference to what she had been like when just coming out of tranquility.

"Isabela!" Aisha and Isabela looked up. It was Lady Elegant, who was quite excited to see somebody she knew.

"Oh Isabela," she said again, "I just saw Hawke but I didn't know that you were here as well!" Her words were followed by an ear-piercing roar from the cage behind the bushes. Aisha twitched a bit at the noise and without thinking reached for Isabela's arm.

Elegant saw her uneasiness and smiled gently.

"That's just the duke's pet wyvern," she said, "apparently mbaris are too common for him."

Isabela mindlessly stroked Aisha's hand.

"How _Orlesian," _she rolled her eyes, "what are you doing here?"

Elegant wrinkled her nose.

"My husband's high position apparently merits this type of invitation. Can't say I enjoy it. And who is this?" Elegant asked, smiling at Aisha, "she could be your sister."

"Typical," Isabela said, "thinking that all Rivianis look the same. This is Aisha, she's an old friend."

Elegant gently shook Aisha's hand and Aisha returned her smile.

"I didn't mean anything by it," Elegant said.

"I know," Aisha said, "no offence taken. Is the party as bad as you thought it would be?"

Elegant rolled her eyes and giggled.

"Ugh, I wish," she exclaimed, "it's worse! See those two women over there? That's the du Launcet sisters. They keep calling me over and they are not people one should spend more time with than what is absolutely necessary. If they talk with you, don't make eye contact. Oh well, I should keep mingling, my husband is not the only one with expectations over his head." And with that she left, leaving the rivianis once more alone.

Isabela was quick to swipe a glass from one of the trays; she put the glass to her lips and drank it all in one go. It caused a woman close to them wrinkle her nose and mutter something that sounded like "barbarians".

"Can't you try to act a bit more... appropriate?" Aisha hissed at her, "we don't want any unwanted attention."

"Pfft," was Isabela's reply as she swiped another drink, smiling at the familiar sensation of the alcohol burning at the throat. It was also a plus that whatever they were serving didn't taste bad at all, not like the drinks at the Hanged man.

"Come on," Aisha dragged Isabela to a more secluded place, "what's wrong?"

"What do you mean, what is wrong?" Isabela snapped, "nothing is wrong. I'm at a party, I'm having a drink. That is normal."

Aisha actually smiled then.

"Yes, but do you have to be so... _piraty _about it?"

Isabela chuckled at her made up word. _I missed you so much Aisha, I'm so happy I got to see you again. _Those were the words the pirate wanted to say and yet she couldn't make herself say them. Instead she just bumped into Aisha's shoulder with her own.

"It's so boring," she said but smiled, "but I'll try. So what is up with you and that elf?"

Aisha sighed but didn't feel a need to keep anything from her friend anymore.

"I got a job as a tranquil, don't look at me like that, it seemed much better than walking around as an apostate mage. Tallis found out and then we... grew close. She needed Hawke's help with something and we thought it be best that she didn't know about our relationship."

"I see," Isabela replied, "you really know how to complicate things, don't you?"

Aisha laughed.

"Says the woman who stole a relic from the Qunari and then lost it."

"Fair enough."

"So is it serious?" Isabela had to ask.

"No," Aisha shook her head but then looked conflicted, "or yes. I don't know. Sometimes I think she would like it to be serious..."

"Pfft, women."

"Yeah..."

"I don't know," Aisha smirked, "I guess I just have a thing for rogues."

"I remember when you had a thing for riviani rogues specifically."

The woman smiled at each other, staring into each other's eyes so intensly that they didn't even notice the figure that walked towards them. _I wonder if she would let me kiss her, _Isabela managed to think before a non-descrete cough made them both look up. It was Tallis.

"We believe we have found a way in," she said, eyeing both rivianis with a trace of jealousy in her eyes, "I was hoping you two could find Aveline and Fenris and then join us. We're going in, but we're leaving the door open so just follow when you have found the others."

Then she just turned around and started walking without any additional words or smiles for Aisha. The mage knew what it must have looked like with Tallis knowing their history and her first instinct was to run after her friend but Isabela stopped her.

"This is not the time," the pirate said gently, "come on, we have to find the others."


	26. Chapter 26 - New experiences

**An: I did not plan on two updates in one day, but here you go! I have to apologize for this chapter, I'm not used to describing threesomes, even if it is only vaguely described. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 26 - New experiences**

"_Are you really leaving now?" Aisha asked, the two of them standing a bit away from the others._

_Tallis chuckled and grasped her hand, wanting to always remember what Aisha's hands felt like._

"_I don't think I would really fit in with Hawke's merry entourage.."_

_Isabela started chuckling behind them, interuppting their conversation._

"_Let's see... are you possessed? Consorting with demons? A pathological liar?"_

_Aveline rolled her eyes._

"_I am at least none of those things," she said and Isabela smirked at her words._

"_Can you run five miles carrying a cow over your head?"_

_Tallis smiled at Isabela's words but hadn't taken her eyes of Aisha's face for one moment._

"_I have six toes on my left foot."_

"_And a bunch of rather exquisite scars," Aisha added, despite a blush spreading on her cheeks. _

"_Eh, good enough," the elf and the mage heard the pirate say behind Aisha but neither of them payed attention to her._

"_Do you have to go?" Aisha whispered one last time and Tallis nodded._

"_This is better for the both of us," she said, "it would never have worked," she leaned in and whispered just next to Aisha's ear, "not while somebody else still loves you just as much as you love her." Aisha gasped a little but any words she had on her lips were silenced by Tallis' kiss._

"_Trust me," the elf said and then she was gone._

Aisha hadn't wanted to talk to anyone, she didn't want to explain to Hawke that Tallis was the person she had spent all her time away with. She didn't want to answer all their unasked questions. She couldn't even be bothered to explore whether Hawke was mad at her for not telling the truth. She had been quiet during the journey home and then gone into Hawke's mansion and to her little room. She had laid down on her bed and gone to sleep.

S he had now been awake for more than a day but not felt like getting up; she didn't feel like seeing the others. She hadn't even gotten up to eat. Aisha was sad about Tallis, she was sad that the comfort she had known over the past year was gone; but she was conflicted about the pirate in a way that made her feel lightheaded and her chest heavy. She didn't know if she wanted her. She didn't know if she had the strength to just forgive her. She couldn't imagine a life without Isabela, she could barely _remember_ a time when Isabela hadn't been part of her life in one way or another. Isabela had stormed into her life time after time, wild like a hurricane, Aisha couldn't help but drown. And the mage had to admit to herself that she didn't want to drown anymore; Tallis had let her breathe, being the calm after the storm. But she was gone now and Aisha was left to pick up the pieces.

There was a knock on the door.

"Aisha?" It was Merrill, "can I come in?" And then the elf continued to somebody next to her, "what? Aren't you supposed to knock? You said..." Whatever Hawke had said to Merrill Aisha never found out before her door was open and both Hawke and Merrill came in.

"Sorry," Hawke said, "we're all worried about you. We're on our way to kill some assassins, I was thinking that maybe it might cheer you up?"

Aisha sat up and rubbed her eyes. Despite her inner turmoil she found her interest spike. Assassins did sound interesting...

"What assassins?"

"Remember that elf from a few weeks ago? We located the camp of the Crows, the people who wanted him dead. We're going to take him out."

Aisha did remember Hawke mentioning something about it during breakfast during one of the days she had actually been in the estate instead of somewhere else, in Tallis' arms.

"Why bring me?"

Hawke smiled warmly at her.

"I find that a little killing always helps me when I'm in a bad mood."

Aisha nodded and Hawke and Merrill started leaving her room, satisfied that she was coming with them.

"Hawke," Hawke turned around and faced Aisha again, "I'm sorry for not... for not telling before." Aisha shrugged her shoulders, she didn't know what to say but couldn't bear the thought that Hawke was mad at her. Lucky for her Hawke only chuckled.

"Don't worry about it," she said, "besides, I'm getting used to Rivianis double-crossing me."

…

"Excellent," Zevran exclaimed as all his former friends lay dead at their feet, "killing my former brother at arms is oddly satisfying." Aisha couldn't help but gasp. This was the man who had killed her father.

"I don't have much reward to offer you, champion," Zevran continued, "but perhaps this will serve as a token of my thanks," he handed Hawke something. He then turned to Isabela but before reaching her, his eyes caught at Aisha.

"My dear," he said, "I swear I recognise you from somewhere."

"Yes," Isabela chimed in, "this is Luis' daughter." Zevran laughed.

"What a small world," he said, "no hard feelings I hope?" Aisha barely managed a strained smile. No, she wasn't angry wth him for killing her dad. She was angry with him for taking Isabela away from her.

"My dear Isabela," Zevran continued and actually bowed to the pirate, "it has been a delight to see you again. You travel in _fine _company." He then started turning to walk away.

"That's it?" Isabela asked loudly, "you're leaving? What about sex?"

"Ah, Isabela," Zevran laughed, "how I have missed you!"

Aisha's heart started pounding. Not again. Not the same shit again. Not the same heart ache, the same betrayal, the same stupid assassin. She didn't know what Isabela's reaction would be, but if everything she had heard about Zevran was true, he surely wouldn't mind.

"What about me?" Aisha tried, putting on a sly smile and ignoring the way Hawke and the others gasped behind her, "surely there is room for one more?"

Aisha could see that Isabela wondered what she was playing at; but the mage tried to look confident even if she wasn't sure at all. She just knew that she had to stop Isabela from going away with Zevran again.

Zevran however, was laughing and eyeing her with interest. He turned to Isabela.

"I'm game if you are."

"I..." Isabela seemed unsure for a moment, but then shrugged her shoulders, "the more the merrier."

…

Aisha hadn't been as awkward as she had hoped; next to Zevran and Isabela she was practically a blushing virgin.. They had been nice to her; kissing her, sometimes both of them in the same time, being gentle to her even if they weren't too gentle to each other.

Aisha had been nervous about being with a man again but quickly noticed that Zevran was just as skillful as Isabela had said. It did hurt a little when he pushed inside her, but it had felt _good. _And the mage had completely melted when Isabela had a little bit later pushed him away and claimed that Aisha's release was hers. _It had been hers. _

Afterwards Zevran had kissed Aisha quickly on the cheek, thanking her for her lovely company. Then he had kissed Isabela deeply and ran his fingers through her hair. It had made Aisha look away, not wanting to intrude on such an intimate moment, despite having laid with both of them.

"Good bye my sweet," Zevran had said and left them, leaving Aisha and Isabela picking up their clothes in the cave. Asha was lacing up her tunic and correcting her bandana with her back to Isabela, she felt a bit awkward and would rather not look at the pirate. Even if just moments ago, they had been looked in an affectionate embrace.

"Sweetness," Isabela's voice made her look up; the pirate looked... almost sad, "I told you Zevran was an artist, didn't I?"

Aisha tried to keep things light and chuckled.

"You kept most of his artistic skills to yourself you know," she said. Isabela smiled and made sure that her tunic was secure; picked up her knives.

"Let's go?"

They started walking back towards Kirkwall together; neither of them speaking. Isabela felt a bit melancholic, she always did after seeing Zevran. The bittersweet mix of great sex, unmeasurable gratitude (even after all these years) and sadness that even though their paths crossed again and again, one of them would one day be dead.

This time her feelings were mixed with the confusing presence of Aisha. She would never have imagined that the mage would actually think of joining them. Then, in the middle of it, Isabela had almost felt _possessive _towards Aisha, wanting to be the one to feel the mage's release on her tongue and fingers. The pirate didn't want to think about what that meant.


	27. Chapter 27 - No rest for the wicked

**Chapter 27 – No rest for the wicked**

A few weeks later Aisha was coming down the stairs in the mansion when she noticed Isabela and Hawke talking. She couldn't help but giggle when she heard Hawke's words.

"Look who's here. It's time to change the locks again."

"I knocked this time. Bodahn let me in," was Isabela reply, but she didn't look up from where she was standing; looking at Hawke's private papers. Aisha didn't know why the pirate was so nosey; she could still remember the first time she had found a sixteen-year-old Naishe going through her things.

"Guess what?" Isabela continued, greeting Aisha with a nod as the mage continued down the stairs and joined them, "Castillion is in town, and I'm not waiting around for him to stick a knife in my vitals. We're going to get him before he gets me."

"We're going to surprise Castillion?" Hawke answer in an amused tone, "I do love surprises."

"Unfortunately," Isabela replied, "Castillion is held up somewhere in Kirkwall, and for once I haven't been able to find him. I do know where Velasco is, however. That's his right hand. We just have to make him tell us where Castillion is... somehow." Isabela looked down now, and Aisha's heart sank when she realised that her brave pirate was actually _scared_. She looked up at Hawke who gave her a reassuring smile; of course they were going to help Isabela. But Hawke couldn't help but tease the pirate a bit first.

"What a plan! Your scheming ability puts me to shame."

"Well, I haven't worked out all the kinks," Isabela snapped, a little bit irritated. She was worried, a feeling she was not used to having and she did not enjoy being teased when she was trying to remain serious.

"Castillion wants you," Hawke suggested, "why not let Velasco bring you to him?"

"And... you follow me? Oh that is clever," Isabela said and smiled. But Aisha disagreed and for once she was not going to remain quiet about it.

"Use you as bait?" She said to Isabela, "no! That's not going to happen."

Isabela sighed.

"Rather he kill me in my sleep, sweet thing?" Aisha put her head down, trying to calm her worried heart. If Isabela was set on doing this, she wouldn't be able to stop her.

"There must be a better way..." she tried but found to her dismay that both Hawke and Isabela were ignoring her. Instead they started discussing when they were going to do it. After deciding that there was no time like the present, Hawke went to get ready while Isabela and Aisha waited.

"Don't be so sour, sweetness," Isabela said, "I'll be fine. Hawke will make sure nothing happens to me."

Aisha nodded but didn't feel relieved or reassured. All she felt was fear that Isabela would be ripped from her yet again.

Hawke came back with her staff, proper clothes and Merrill behind her, and off they went to the Blooming Rose.

…

Soon they found themselves standing outside Velasco's supposed room at the Blooming Rose. There were grunting noises coming from the room that disgusted Aisha and she tried to seek comfort by holding Merrill's hand. The elf suspected what Aisha was feeling and squeezed it, both of them remaining quiet while Hawke and Isabela talked.

"You need to make this believable," Isabela said, "even hit me if needed. If you flinch, Velasco will see it."

"I don't know if I'm comfortable hitting a friend..." Hawke said but smirked as she said it.

"Oh, don't tell me you've never wanted to hit me," Isabela said and winked, "not even a little."

"I wouldn't say never..." Hawke said and smiled as Aisha said "yes" in the exact same time. Then she and Merrill went to the corner as Hawke and Isabela approached the door.

Hawke quickly kicked the door open and went inside it with Isabela behind her. The man called Velasco looked up while the elf whore he had been towering over yelped a bit in surprise, the elf then immidiately ran away, looking relieved that an interupption had got her a way of escaping.

"Skittish bitch," Velasco muttered to himself before taking a good look at his sudden guests. Isabela tried to look calm as she met his gaze; she couldn't believe that she had once willingly worked with the likes of him.

"I have a present for Castillion," Hawke said and made a gesture towards Isabela. _Here goes, _the pirate thought and then she pulled a surprised face.

"Present for – what?" She said, sounding shocked.

"I just want you out of the way," Hawke said, rolling her eyes and turning from Isabela with disdain, "a coin for my troubles?" She asked Valesco instead.

He threw her a coin and then quickly tied Isabela's hands.

"Off we go," he said and chuckled darkly, "somebody has been dying to see you."

He pulled a struggling Isabela out of the room, and down the stairs. Aisha saw them and turned away, not able to watch without doing nothing. Hawke soon came out of the room as well and immidiately saw the worry on the mage's face.

"Oh, come here," she said and gave Aisha a reassuring hug, "let's go and save her, okay?"

…

While walking through High Town, Low Town and eventually the docks, Aisha couldn't stop worrying. She wanted Hawke and Merrill to walk faster even though they kept telling her that it was important that they didn't move so fast that they caught up with Isabela and her captor. It didn't matter, Aisha wanted to catch up. She wanted to catch up so that Isabela never had to face Castillion; Aisha could kill him in his sleep instead. Anything so that the pirate didn't have to be in more danger than was necessary.

They were by the docks when they heard a surprised yell and the sound of a tumble. It didn't matter that Hawke called her name, Aisha ran forward, not caring. _Isabela, Isabela, Isabela, Naishe, Naishe, Naishe. _With her heart in her throat, the young mage ran around the corner, just in time to see Isabela free, pushing her dagger through Velasco's throat and then pushing him over the edge into the water.

"Isabela!" Isabela turned around and Aisha couldn't help herself, she darted forward towards the pirate. Isabela opened her arms and Aisha practically ran into her embrace, pulling her arms tight around Isabela's waist and burying the side of her face in Isabela's bosom. She felt the other woman gently stroke the top of her hair but it only made her hold on tighter. She felt tears behind her eyelids but refused to let them out. She just wanted to stay where she was, in the arms of Isabela, wrapped in her scent and her warmth.

"I love you," Aisha whispered, "I was worried, I..." She moved her head from its comfortable position and looked up. Isabela was looking down at her, somehow looking happy and sad in the same time.

"I know sweetheart," she said gently. They looked at each other in silence for a moment, then Aisha gathered all the courage she had, stood on tiptoe and pressed her lips against Isabela's. Their kiss was different, almost chaste at first with closed mouths. Isabela sighed in content and pulled Aisha closer, running her tongue over Aisha's lips, asking for entry; something Aisha provided gladly. For a moment, nothing else existed except them. Then Hawke's uncomfortable coughing made them stop. Aisha finally let go of Isabela's waist and took a step backwards, looking rather embarrassed; Isabela on the other hand, looked absolutely gleeful and more or less proud. Aisha couldn't help but laugh at her.

"Should we go inside?" Hawke asked.

"Yes," Isabela said and nodded, "Valesco told me about their plans for slavery in the Free Marches. I also found these documents on his body. I think I finally have the leverage on Castillion that I've always wanted."

…

Castillion was waiting for them inside. He seemed both amused and annoyed when Isabela came in.

"And Valesco told me that you were all tied up," he said, "a lovely present just waiting to be opened. I see he must have paid for that little mistake. Well played, Isabela. Crossed and double-crossed."

"You want to talk?" Isabela said, "Maybe we should talk about these documents. Slavery in the Free Marches? They're not going to like that."

Castillion immidiately sensed what Isabela was after.

"Get to the point," he barked and put his chin up. Isabela smiled; she had won.

"Give me your ship," she said, "and your word to leave me alone, and you can take these papers and go."

"If you want the ship," Hawke interuppted, "can't we just kill him and take it?"

"You don't just kill a man and take his ship. That's crude and amateurish!" Aisha coulnt't help but snicker at the words, even her pirate had standards.

"Also," Isabela continued, "how will he tell everyone I bested him if he is dead? I am still getting rid of him, just through peaceful means."

"Coming from her," Castillion added, "this is quite priceless."

Isabela smiled, going in for the kill.

"I saw the ship docked in the harbor, Castillion. She is splendid, I want her." Isabela acted confident but inside she was almost quivering. She was so close to getting a ship.

"Give me the documents," Castillion replied immidiately, not even needing any time to think, "and you can have the ship. And you will never hear from me again."

"Swear it," Isabela commanded.

"I swear it on my mother's grave," Castillion said and bowed, "give me the documents." Isabela could hardly breathe as she walked up to the man with confident steps and handed him the documents.

"The ship is yours," Castillion said as soon as he had the documents in his hand," let me say, my dear, that you would make a remarkable ally for any man able to tame you."

Isabela just scoffed at his words and folded her arms over her chest, waiting for him to leave.

"Our business is hereby concluded," Castillion said and bowed once more, "Forever. Be well, Isabela." And then he left.

Hawke looked at Isabela with a strange annoyance in her eyes.

"That man didn't deserve to walk free," she said.

"He'll get what's coming to him, someday." Isabela replied with a shrug, "doesn't need to be at my hand." Almost by reflex she put her arm around Aisha, who had drawn nearer since Castillion had left.

Hawke eventually smiled.

"How does it feel to have finally gotten a ship?" She asked. "The ship of your dreams nontheless?"

Isabela chuckled.

"Better than... three greased up sailors. The feeling that I could leave whenever I want? There really is nothing better... but I don't know. I have taken a shine to Kirkwall and _some _people in it. I'll probably stick around for a bit more. Won't be forever though." She looked down at Aisha.

"Should we go and look at our ship then?"

* * *

**Was going to finish the story this week. (Just a few chapters left after all.) But I got an insane schedule for next week (I start at 6.30 on Tuesday) so I don't think I'll manage. Next chapter should have smut though!**


	28. Chapter 28 - the sailor and the student

**Chapter 28 – the Salior and the Student**

It wasn't the first boat that Aisha was on, but it still seemed different knowing that this boat was Isabela's. Isabela claimed that the boat was Aisha's too, but the mage didn't dare to believe it.

"I need to get a good crew as well," Isabela sighed in content, while standing in the stern and looking out towards the sea, "people who won't give us trouble." Isabela closed her eyes, feeling the breeze in her hair, the gentle rocking of the waves underneath and the polished wood under her fingers. _This is delicious, _she thought. She opened her eyes to look at the mage next to her. Aisha was clutching the wood a bit desperately and looking out at the sea with wonder in her eyes.

"Are you okay?" Isabela asked gently, "you seem... tense."

Aisha sighed and turned her back on the water, leaning on the wood and putting her face up towards the sun.

"I'm fine," she replied, "I don't know why I feel so worried. Naishe...sorry, Isabela, are we really going to leave? Are you really taking me with you?" Aisha worried that her questions might annoy the pirate but couldn't help but ask them. To her relief, Isabela mainly seemed amused.

"Will you ever stop calling me Naishe?"

"Don't know," Aisha replied and then changed the subject, "you know, my mother used to love boats."

Isabela looked at her with one eye.

"She would always beg father to take her on the Siren. He wanted his women to stay at home, well you know that. It's ironic really, The Siren's call killed his first wife, and his second wife sailed away with it."

Isabela didn't know what to answer. In all the years they had known each other, they had never discussed Aisha's parents; it was almost taboo between them.

"How did your mother die?" Isabela eventually asked after remaining quiet for a long time.

"Father didn't tell you? She died when he finally gave in and took her on the ship. I don't know the details, but they went away in the morning and she never came back. Pirates, drowning... who knows. Father was so angry, so sad. He was a better person before that, not a good one, but better. Not as cruel."

"I was his slave," Isabela said frankly.

Aisha nodded.

"I know."

They stood in silence for a long time, Isabela looking at the sea and Aisha with her eyes closed and facing the sun. Eventually Isabela stood up and cracked her neck from side to side.

"Should we check out the insides?" She asked, "the captain's quarters at least. I'm planning to be sleeping there from now on."

They went down the stairs from the heightened stern and went through the little door underneath. It had a lock, Isabela noticed approvingly; that would make her sleep so much better. Then she suddenly exclaimed, causing Aisha to almost jump from the sound.

"Seriously! Mustard colours! Something was wrong with the man!" Aisha looked into the cabin, past Isabela and agreed that it wasn't the most tasteful room ever. It was quite large and pompous though; it had a carpet, thick curtains on the windows and what looked like a very soft bed. Every piece of textile in the room was mustard yellow. Otherwise there was a chest, a desk with a chair, crossed knives on the wall and several candle holders. The mage imagined that the room was quite cozy on stormy nights even if everything had a ghastly colour.

Aisha couldn't help but let her mind wander. She imagined, Isabela sitting by the desk on a stormy night, her face concentrated as she studied maps and thought where they should go next. Perhaps with a naked Aisha in the bed, calling for her, wanting her to join her in the bed. If Isabela refused, Aisha could simply stand up, go to Isabela, wrap her arms around the pirate and convince her to leave the maps for something more pleasant to study.

"Did the captain's cabin look like this on the Siren's call?" Aisha asked, a little bit breathless from thinking about her fantasy.

"No," Isabela said, "it had much better colours." She turned to Aisha and laughed at her rolling eyes, "I'm impossible, aren't I?" she asked. Then she pulled Aisha to her body in one swift move.

"You know," her voice dropping an octave lower, "I was thinking that we should check if the captain's quarters are really good for anything."

She turned Aisha's body around and pressed it closer, leaning down and planting several quick kisses over Aisha's lips, cheeks, jaw and forehead.

"I missed you," Isabela breathed as she kissed down Aisha's throat, the smaller woman tilting her head upwards, allowing access. She wanted to answer Isabela, tell her how she had missed her as well. How she loved her. But as Isabela continued kissing her way down to Aisha's chest, all Aisha managed to do was to whimper helplessly and reach up to quickly untie the top of her tunic. She again tried to talk but Isabela took her nipple into her mouth and tugged and Aisha felt like her knees might buckle under her. Isabela caught her and held her steady, chuckling at Aisha's demise.

The mage looked up and saw her smirk and as much as she enjoyed simply succumbing and accepting whatever pleasure Isabela was willing to give her, she didn't want this time to be a repeat performance of their last time. She wanted to touch Isabela too. She tried to steady her shaking legs and took a few steps backwards, grasping Isabela's hand and pulling her with her towards the bed.

Isabela, who had been expecting Aisha to fall in her arms, was quite surprised when she felt herself being pulled towards the bed. The pirate was even more surprised when Aisha didn't sit down on the bed but spun the two of them around and pushed Isabela onto the bed. The pirate sat down, and smiled up at the mage, wondering what she was going to do next.

Aisha was still standing up and cradled Isabela's head in her hands, leaning down and pressing her lips against the forehead of the pirate; staying there for a while and just inhaling her scent. Then she leaned back again, searching for Isabela's face and melting at the uncharastical, rather innocent, smile that was plastered on her face.

The mage pushed the pirate back on the bed and quickly straddled her, leaning down and kissing over her throat and chest; nipping with her teeth occasionally but never hard enough to leave a mark. Isabela squirmed a little, more used to being in the opposite position but didn't want to stop Aisha on her enthusiastic discovery. When Aisha bit into her breast through the fabric of her tunic Isabela actually moaned and reached with her hands up to halt the mage just long enough to pull the tunic over her head.

"These too," Aisha said and continued to kiss parts of Isabela's face as the rogue removed the bits of armor she wore, her necklace and boots. Her knives laid discarded on the floor.

Aisha had to stop and look in wonder. She had seen Isabela's body before, but it was as if she could never get enough of the sight. There were a few blemishes and scars that were unfamiliar to Aisha and the mage didn't waste anytime. She latched onto the closest scar on the pirate's shoulder, biting down and then immidiately licking the spot to soothe the sting. Aisha continued kissing down over Isabela's chest and when convinced that the pirate was more than comfortable, she dared to take her nipple into her mouth.

"Aisha," Isabela said, her voice breathless, "what are you doing sweetness?"

Aisha let go of her breast and looked up at her pirate.

"Let me take care of you?"

Isabela seemed to think for a moment, but then reclined her head on the pillow.

"Play as much as you want," she said with a chuckled that turned into another moan as the mage started paying attention to her other breast. Isabela didn't mind letting Aisha have her fun, as long as she could have her fun afterwards. The pirate had to admit though, that it was strange and unfamiliar to just lay back and have her bedpartner take the reins but there was also something very satisfying about letting Aisha take care of her. Maybe because it was just Aisha that was now kissing down her stomach. Isabela had known in abstract what was going to happen but couldn't help but moan in surprise as Aisha reached her goal. Without really meaning to, the pirate spread her legs wider and sighed in content as Aisha hummed in approval and continued her administrations. Release found her quicker than usual, and too soon for the pirate's liking.

After Isabela's legs had stopped quivering, Aisha pressed a peck on top of the patch of black hair. Then she crawled up on top of the bed, placing her head on the pillow next to the pirate's. Isabela had lost her voice temporarily and was just breathing heavily.

"Is that what the elf taught you?" The pirate said when she found her voice, "because if she did, I fully understand why you were so upset to see her leave."

"Isabela!" Aisha said and punched the pirate lightly on the arm, "of course. You don't think you're the only one with tricks up your sleeve, do you?"

Isabela laughed then, feeling happier than she had in years.

"Thank god for that!" She said, "can you take this off?" She fingered the edge of Aisha's tunic. The mage nodded and removed her clothes and bandana as well. Isabela opened her arms and almost purred when she soon cradled a naked Aisha in her arms. She kissed the mark of tranquility.

"So, is it my turn to... return the favour?" Aisha looked up at her pirate, her heart beating happily.

"Yes," the mage said, "if you wish."


	29. Chapter 29 - The last straw

A few months passed. Aisha and Isabela continued planning for their departure, gathering a crew, sending the sails for mending and purchasing a rather large anchor even though Isabela admitted that they did not need it.

"I just love anchors," was her excuse.

Aisha found herself being swept up in the excitement even though she was secretly sad at the prospect of soon leaving Hawke and the others. Varric however, assured her that they would all move on sooner or later. Kirkwall would not hold them forever. And Aisha knew that there was no way she was letting Isabela sail of into the sunset without her one more time.

It didn't matter if the pirate and the mage spent the day apart; they always met in the night. Most nights they would wind up warm, sated and spent but sometimes they would simply cuddle together in a messy state of tangled limps and fall asleep. The pirate might have wanted to deny it, but she loved those nights too.

This did not mean that Isabela stopped finding other bed partners, and occasionally they invited a third person into their bedroom as well. Aisha didn't mind as long as Isabela returned to her after; and Isabela always did. Occasionally it happened that the pirate smelled so strongly of somebody else's perfume that Aisha irritably told her to go away and not come back before she had taken a bath, but mainly it was said with good humour.

This was why Aisha didn't overreact when she came into the Hanged Man one day to find Isabela pestered by one of her conquests. The mage had gone up to the bar to order a drink, when she heard somebody talking to the pirate. It was a man, handsome, and even though his words suggested it, he was not drunk.

"Isabela," he said, "you dusky godess."

_This will be interesting, _Aisha thought to herself with a smirk.

"You have buried yourself into the flesh of my heart," Aisha had already taken a sip of her drink but immediately wished she hadn't because the man's words wanted to make her laugh. The man continued.

"Like a worm, in a red, red apple. You heartworm you."

"Oh look my friend is here, excuse me," Isabela said relieved rather than replying to the crazy ramblings of the man. She stood up to go and join Aisha who had sat herself down at a table not too far away, grinning from ear to ear at Isabela's plight.

The man stood up as well, attempting to follow her.

"But," he said, "I haven't got to the part where I invite you to feast on my tender white flesh!"

"That's alright," she said, "I think I'll manage." She started backing away and to her relief the man just imitated the face of a sad puppy and then he left. The pirate turned around and faced Aisha who burst out laughing. Isabela ignored her and sat down.

"You heartworm you!" Aisha whispered and gasped for air as her laughing continued.

"Yes, yes," Isabela said and rolled her eyes, "let's all laugh at Isabela and the troubles she gets herself into."

Aisha wiped the tears that had fallen from her eyes as her laughing subsided. She leaned forward and brushed a kiss to Isabela's nearest temple.

"Don't be upset, _sweet thing,"_ she said, "You made your bed, now you lay in it."

Isabela just snorted a response, as Aisha continued giggling a little and then put her lips right next to Isabela's ears.

"Or you could simply forget about all the losers that don't deserve your time anyway."

Isabela turned her face and looked into Aisha's eyes.

"Whatever would I do with all that free time?" She asked. Aisha smiled and gave her a quick peck on the lips.

"I'm sure we can think of something," she said, "together." Then she looked up as a familiar figure walked through the doors, "oh look, there's Hawke!"

After almost an hour of friendly conversation one of the boys whom Hawke paid to keep a look out for trouble in High Town, the only way she managed to be exactly where the trouble was at all times, came running through the door.

"Sera, sera," he yelled and started waving his arms, "you must come quick!"

"What is it?"

"I don't know, but it's bad," the boy said, "the first enchanter and the knight-commander are fighting again!"

Hawke sighed.

"This is the last straw," she said, "come on, let's go."

The friends left the Hanged Man not knowing that it would be the last time they ever sat foot in the establishment.

…

They arrived at High Town where almost all of Kirkwall were gathered to watch Orsino and Meredith fight. Merrill was there, and Varric, Aveline, Fenris and Sebastian. Aisha searched for Anders but couldn't see him anywhere.

They had arrived just in time to hear Meredith order Orsino.

"I will have the tower searched. Top to bottom!"

But for once, Orsino refused to let himself be bullied.

"You cannot do that!" He yelled, "you have no right!"

"I have every right," Meredith continued, "you are harbouring blood mages, and I intend to root them out before they infect this city. "

Aisha and Merrill both took a mindless step backwards, both of them had dabbled. But Isabela smiled reassuringly at them. Over her dead body would anybody hurt them.

"Blood mages!" Orsino exclaimed and threw his arms up in the air, "where do you not see blood magic? My people cannot sneeze without you accusing them of corruption."

"Do not trifle with me mage," Meredith answered, "my patience is at an end."

"A wonder that I never saw it to begin with," Orsino muttered.

Hawke ran forward, she tried to smile.

"The way the two of you carry on", she said, "people will talk."

For once Meredith seemed to not appreciate Hawke's help, despite having asked for her help over and over during the past years.

"This does not involve you, champion," she said and took threatening steps towards Hawke but did not have the wanted effect. Hawke stood her ground even when Meredith was just inches away from her face.

"I called her here,"Orsino said from behind, "I think the people deserve to know just what you have done." The words made Meredith turn around in anger.

"What I have done,"she said, saliva splattering from her mouth as she talked, "is to protect the people of this city, time and time again. What I have done is to protect your mages from your curse and your own stupidity."

"She really thinks she wants whats best for us, doesn't she?" Aisha whispered to Merrill.

Meredith had turned back to Hawke.

"And I will not stop doing it,"she practically screamed, "I will not lower our guard. I dare not!"

"There must be some way we can work this out," Hawke tried but she was speaking to deaf ears.

"What other option do we have?" Meredith asked and there was actually regret in her voice, "should we look the other way? Tell the poor victims of a possessed mage that we meant no harm? Tell me, champion, that you have not seen with your own eyes what they can do, heard the lies of mages who seek more power?"

Hawke tried to take a deep breath, she was a mage herself after all.

"You can't use the actions of some to condemn them all,"she said.

"You would cast us all villians," Orsino said, "but it is not so!"

Meredith turned to Orsino once more, and there was actually compassion in her voice.

"I know," she said, "and it breaks my heart to do it. But we must be vigilant. If you cannot tell me another way, do not brand me a tyrant!"

"This is going nowhere,"Orsino said, "Grand cleric Elthina will put a stop to this." He started going towards the stairs to the chantry but Meredith stopped him by grabbing his arm.

"You will not bring her Grace into this!"

This was when Anders stepped out of nowhere and announced that the Grand Cleric could help no one anymore.

…

At first Isabela didn't remember where she was when she opened her eyes. Her ears where ringing and there was distant screaming coming from somewhere.

_Anders… Chantry… Orsino… Knight-Commander… an awful noise… and a shockwave making them all fall to the ground._

Isabela lifted her head, immidiately searching for Aisha and the others. The pirate took a breath of relief when she saw that her mage was up on her feet. Her ears were still ringing and she could not properly hear what the mage was saying.

Aisha was furious, she was beyond furious. She had trusted Anders to be the boring old mage that he had always been, not this, not… _a terrorist. _

"What did you do?" She said and slapped him.

"There could be no peace,"Anders said, "there was no other way. Surely you must see that." He looked at Hawke for help, but she just shook her head.

Orsino and Meredith had also gotten to their feet now and Orsino looked at Anders with disbelief in his eyes.

"Why would you do such a thing?" He asked, tears streaming down his face.

Anders was crying as well, but his voice was not quivering when he replied.

"I removed the chance of compromise, because there is no compromise."

'The Grand Cleric has been slain by magic," Meredith said, "the chantry destroyed…" she seemed to think for a moment and then raised her voice so that everyone could hear, "as knight-commander of Kirkwall, I hereby invoke the Right of Annulment. Every mage in the circle is to be executed – immidiately!"

She then turned to Hawke.

"I demand you stand with us,"she said, "even you must see that this is a madness that can't be tolerated."

Hawke didn't even have to think. She looked at Merrill, looked at Aisha, thought about Bethany, her father and herself. She turned to the mages who were standing behind Orsino, most of them looking terrified and the younger ones openly crying.

"I won't let her slaughter all of you," Hawke said to them.

"Hawke," Aveline just said, "if you do this, I'm… I'm not sure if I can follow."

Aisha gasped and opened her mouth as if to say something but Isabela quited her.

"We all must follow our own path, sweet thing," the pirate whispered.

"I know we can do this," Merrill said and smiled at her lover, "I believe in you Hawke."

Hawke had made her choice.

"I'm not helping you Meredith," she said.

"You are a fool," Meredith said and then raised her voice one more time, "kill them all!"

* * *

**AN: So, it has occured to me that I've made a huge mistake! Isabela's husband was Antivan! Not Riviani. Which would make Aisha Antivan as well. So please forgive me for that mistake... and let's just call this an AU where Isabela's husband was Riviani instead of Antivan? Is that okay...? I feel kind of silly about it. When I first started playing with the ideas of this story it was about Naishe and Aisha who were actual sisters, taking Aisha's name because it was so close to the name 'Naishe'. Then I added the tranquil-part, except at first she was going to finish as a tranquil rather than being "de-tranquilised", then I decided on a romantic story instead, and eventually I decided that Aisha was to be the daughter of Luis. Problem is that along the way I forgot that Luis was Antivan! **

**The first shard of idea I got for this story was from the song Jai Ho by A.R. Rahman, in case anybody is curious. I got this idea of two Riviani girls robbing someone to the sound of this song. I don't know... I think it was one of my weirder moments. But I've listened it to often while writing.**

**Thank you for the reviews! They really warm my heart. :D**


	30. Chapter 30 - Epilogue

**Chapter 30 – Epilogue**

"That will be 5 silvers," the merchant said and smiled at the short woman who was standing in front of him. She had bought his entire stock of mangos and been very polite even though she had her hood pulled so low that he hadn't once been able to see her eyes.

"5 silver?" She asked, her voice just slightly traced with a Riviani accent, "thank you, ser, I thought it would be much more."

The merchant nodded.

"It's a good price for a good woman," he said, "take care now." The woman paid him and then left the store.

Outside the sun was starting to slowly set over the vast blue sea and the woman walked slowly, looking at the horizon, carrying her bag of mangos. They were setting sail in the morning again, they never stayed anywhere for long and Aisha wanted to make sure that they had mangos at least for the first week.

Aisha continued walking, she reached the outskirts of the town and continued on to the beach that continued. The pirate was waiting for her there, sitting on a blanket, sipping rum out of the bottle and watching their ship which was anchored a bit from the shore. Aisha smiled a greeting at Isabela and put her bag in the dingy that they had pulled up onto the sand. Then she went and sat next to Isabela on the blanket.

"You got everything you wanted?" Isabela asked her as she put her arm around the little pirate and pulled her closer. She also twisted her head and planted a kiss on the top of Aisha's head as the younger woman rested her head on Isabela's shoulder.

"Yes," Aisha said, "I got mangos and some fabric. You should make a new tunic, I'm not sure that what you're wearing can even constitute as clothing anymore." She said that while she fingered the fine holes that the latest battles had left on Isabela's tunic.

"You make a poor pirate, sweetness," Isabela said softly, "worrying about such insignificant things. Don't you see that my clothes now show off my best features?"

Aisha giggled and poked Isabela.

"You do as you like."

They remained quite and watched the sunset. It had been a year since they had left Kirkwall. Hawke and Merrill had gone, trying to find the elves, and Isabela and Aisha had also left; Kirkwall was no longer a safe place for mages. Ironically Meredith had gotten what she wanted.

Isabela and Aisha had been living a piratelife ever since, although they never touched slavery and Aisha always tried to stop Isabela from doing anything too crazy even though she sometimes surprised both herself and Isabela by being more ruthless than Isabela.

"Should we go back?" Aisha asked as the beach became completely dark; luckily it was still warm and the air was sweet-smelling from the flowers growing near the beach.

"No," Isabela said, somewhat sleepy now, "let's stay tonight on the beach. Who knows when we will even see land again after tomorrow."

"Can we go to Ferelden?" Aisha asked, "I've never been."

Isabela laid back down and gestured for Aisha to lie down next to her.

"Why not? I have more than one friend there that would be nice to visit."

Aisha felt herself grow tired. It had been a long day and tomorrow would probably be even longer. She also had to admit that there were few places she rather be than on a beach, in the arm of her pirate.

"Good night," she eventually said, hearing Isabela's breath calm and even out. Isabela was basically asleep but turned to Aisha one last time before passing out completely.

"I love you my sweet little pirate."

**The End**

* * *

_**Thank you everyone for reading this story and following it to the end. Hope you have enjoyed it!**_


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